The Co-operative Development Foundation of Canada (CDF) and University of Saskatchewan (USask) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to serve as a foundation for future collaborations that support co-op communities in addressing climate change.
This new MOU aligns well with CDF’s mission of partnering with communities to achieve sustainable economic and social development, and USask’s newest signature area of research—Communities and Sustainability.
“Our university is home to many researchers whose work is directly relevant to agriculture, sustainable communities and climate change,” said Dr. Airini, provost and vice-president academic, USask. “This partnership gives the university and CDF Canada an exciting opportunity to work together and create meaningful change that addresses challenges facing our world today by tapping into our academic expertise right here at USask.”
The partnership provides opportunities for collaboration on research that will accelerate inclusive, cooperative development, support sustainable livelihoods by integrating climate change mitigation, and build capacity within the agricultural sector and beyond. CDF Canada and USask researchers will also work together to share best practices and lessons learned and provide training to co-ops.
Mr. Benoit Andre, Executive Director, CDF Canada, said, “Climate change, mitigation, and adaptation, biodiversity needs to be integrated towards sustainable development. This partnership will help us to develop a framework to support smallholder farmers with climate-smart solutions.”
Collaborations are already underway between CDF and researchers in USask’s Canadian Centre for the Study of Co-operatives and the College of Pharmacy and Nutrition.