AAFC launches second half of $20-million Food Waste Reduction Challenge
Posted: May 26, 2021
Categories: Funding Opportunities / GoodFoodBites
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) has launched the second half of the $20-million Food Waste Reduction Challenge, and is now accepting applications for the novel technology streams (Streams C and D) until August 31, 2021.
Under these streams, up to $6.5 million in prize funding will be awarded to innovators with novel technologies that can extend the life of food or transform food that would otherwise be lost or wasted:
- Stream C focuses on technologies that extend the life of perishable foods by finding ways to slow the degradation of perishable food items and extend the length of time these food items may be stored before they become spoiled.
- Stream D focuses on technologies that transform food waste by converting surplus food, food by-products, or food waste into other products, including: food for humans, food for animals/insects (e.g. animal feed), or non-food products.
For Streams C and D, up to 18 semi-finalists will be selected by AAFC to receive $100,000 and move on to develop prototypes of their technology over an eight-month period. Then, up to six finalists will receive up to an additional $450,000 to evaluate the effectiveness of their solution over one year. At the final stage, one winner per stream will be awarded a grand prize of up to $1 million.
To learn more, including how to apply, visit the Food Waste Reduction Challenge website.
The Government of Canada launched the Food Waste Reduction Challenge (an initiative under the Food Policy for Canada) in November 2020, calling for innovators to deliver game-changing solutions to prevent and/or divert food waste.
Applications for Streams A and B, which focused on business model solutions that can prevent or divert food waste at any point from farm to plate, opened in November 2020 and closed January 18, 2021. This first round of the Challenge received 343 applications, and the 24 semi-finalists were announced on May 7, 2021.