Building stronger partnerships in the agri-food chain is now being encouraged and funded through the Agricultural Adaptation Council’s (AAC) flagship CanAdapt program

The new CanAdapt Value Chain Initiative (VCI) is a subset of AAC’s CanAdapt program. The CanAdapt VCI seeks to identify opportunities for organizations and individuals to benefit from, or develop, long term alliances with strategic partners operating at all levels of the agri-food value chain.
“This program is a direct response to the interest that the agriculture and agri-food sector has expressed in developing value chains,” says Tom Smyth, AAC Executive Member and CanAdapt VCI Committee Member. “Now that the program is up and running, we’re encouraging applications for value chain projects that will help build long-term partnerships and, in the long run, increase sustained profitability within the sector.”

The CanAdapt VCI committee, which has been established to review value chain projects, consists of both internal and external appointments to provide a balanced whole chain perspective and direction to the program.

Objectives of CanAdapt VCI projects include sharing information with an identified audience on value chain management issues, enhance management skills, achieve operational improvements, and develop methods by which value chain partners can work together to meet specific end-market demands more successfully than if working individually. CanAdapt VCI projects will fall into three categories: Awareness, Development, and Implementation.

An electronic version of the new CanAdapt application form and guide, which includes the CanAdapt Value Chain Initiative, can be found on line at www.adaptcouncil.org,  or hard copies can be obtained by contacting the AAC office at (519) 822-7554.

A value chain is a consumer demand driven network of strategic alliances between producers, processors, distributors, and retailers. Its primary purpose is to meet the needs of the marketplace through the collaboration, communication, and coordination of participating organizations. Alliances are formed so that partners can remain viable and sustainable by improving services and products while enhancing the entire industry.

The AAC is a non-profit coalition of 55 agricultural, agri-business and rural organizations dedicated to providing financial resources to assist Ontario’s agri-food sector and rural communities to remain competitive, grow and maintain their economic strength. The AAC receives its funding through Ontario's share of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's (AAFC) $60 million-per-year Canadian Adaptation and Rural Development (CARD) fund.

-30-

For more information contact:

Martin Gooch
Value Chain Facilitator
Agricultural Adaptation Council
Phone: (519) 822-7554
Fax: (519) 822-6248
Martin's e-mail

or

Nadine Buitenhuis
Communications/Program Coordinator
Agricultural Adaptation Council
Phone: (519) 822-7554
Fax: (519) 822-6248
Nadine's e-mail