Demonstration Projects Accelerate Adoption of New Technologies

The Manager of Agricultural Economics and Management with CDPQ suggests the full value of agricultural research is captured only once it’s been adopted by industry

by Bruce Cochrane – FarmScape Online

CDPQ in partnership with the Prairie Swine Centre on behalf of Swine Innovation Porc has completed a series projects intended to demonstrate research results and accelerate the adoption of resulting new technologies and management strategies.

Seven projects were established demonstrating five areas of research on 27 farms across Canada.

Geneviève Berthiaume, the Manager of Agricultural Economics and Management with CDPQ, says the project was built around research initiatives conducted by CDPQ, Prairie Swine Centre and Swine Innovation Porc.

“Researchers can develop amazing technologies or strategies but if it stays on the research level then really there is no point”

“Pork producers who can successfully identify and implement new technologies, innovations or management strategies create a competitive advantage by becoming lead users of new technologies and management strategies so this program set out to selectively pick best management practices that have a positive economic benefit and match them with demonstration farms to help increase the speed of technology adoption of research projects across the industry.

“I think that knowing that your neighbor or friend or fellow producer has used this technology and is keeping it is the best way to really help accelerate and facilitate innovation and adoption by the industry.

“I believe that proper technology transfer through initiatives like this one are essential to helping the industry improve its competitiveness on a global market.

“Researchers can develop amazing technologies or strategies but if it stays on the research level then really there is no point.

“As our means of communication and getting information out there becomes faster and faster I think we can also accelerate that rate at which we implement technologies and strategies in our barns, helping us stay on top of the industry where there is a lot of competition and that is coming from around the world.”

For more information on these demonstration projects visit the Prairie Swine Centre, CDPQ or Swine Innovation Porc web sites.