2 billion people in the world do not have regular access to safe, nutritious and sufficient food
Dalhousie researchers are creating solutions that emerge from a deep understanding of local food issues — and that provide potential solutions for global food challenges.
High-impact research
Canada’s Food Price Report 2024 predicts Canadians will finally get relief from “sticker‑shock”
“The year 2023 posed significant financial challenges for Canadian families, one of the toughest in recent memory,” says Dr. Sylvain Charlebois, project lead, professor, and director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie. The report forecasts that overall food prices will increase, but by less than last year. Read the Dal News story about the 2024 report and its food price predictions.
Food prices are not the only obstacle to achieving food security
Research reveals three major barriers to accessing food: affordability, policies that perpetuate wealth and income disparity, and systemic forms of discrimination like colonialism and racism. Long-term solutions are required to comprehensively address all forms of food access. Read the about this study on food insecurity in Dal News.
Plant‑based protein, the pandemic and the agrifood supply chain
“Plant-based and alternative proteins are one of the largest food growth sectors in the world” explains Dr. Abebe, who is conducting a plant protein value chain analysis that will engage consumers, processors and manufacturers, and regional farmers. Read the Dal News story about research into plant-based proteins.
Dal researcher helps lead development of handbook exploring how to feed the world's growing population
Feeding a growing population will require innovations across our food systems. Kathleen Kevany, is co-editor of the first edition of the Routledge Handbook of Sustainable Diets (along with researcher Paolo Prosperi), due out next year. Read the Dal News interview with Dr. Kevany about the book.
Sustainable and harmonius with the environment
The Organic Agriculture Centre of Canada (OACC) is a national organization, based at the Dalhousie Agricultural Campus, which aims to serve Canada's organic sector through science and education, supporting producers with resources that they can put into practice.
Canada’s Food Price Report 2023 predicts Canadian families will spend up to $1,065 more on food next year
“Each year, the Canadian Food Price Report provides consumers with important information on how the coming year might affect them in terms of food prices and affordability,” says Andrea Rankin who worked on the 2023 report. Read the Dal News story about the 2023 report.
Swapping meat for seafood could mean more nutritious and climate‑friendly diets
"Our work has shown that seafood can provide greater nutrition to people at a lower rate of greenhouse gas emissions than beef, pork, and chicken," says Peter Tyedmers, a professor in Dalhousie University's School for Resource and Environmental Studies. Read the Dal News story about the findings.
Exceptional student experience
Certificate in Aquaculture
The Certificate in Aquaculture provides an opportunity to explore a range of aquatic species and the production systems required to rear them, and understand its role in global food security.
International Food Business
The International Food Business program, offered in partnerhip with Aeres University in the Netherlands, is a unique opportunity to understand the global food industry from the farm gate to the consumer's plate.
Cultivate real-world skills
Plants play a key role in the well-being of humans and animals. The Plant Science program tackles issues related to food quality, safety and security, clean air, and clean water.
Field to fork has never been closer to home
The 1.1-acre Chef’s Garden enables the Agricultural Campus to supply our own vegetables for on-campus dining and education using organic principles and a mandate for sustainability.
Community, Dalhousie meet student food security challenge through Giving Tuesday
Supported by alumni, friends, faculty and staff, Dal once again led post-secondary schools across Nova Scotia in addressing food security among students. $200,000 was raised through the province-wide Food Security Project campaign for Giving Tuesday 2022. Now in its third year, the campaign helps ensure that students have access to the nutritious food they need to excel. Read the Dal News story about Giving Tuesday 2022.
Civic university with global impact
Unique agricultural learning experiences
Dalhousie Agricultural Campus’s Community Education program aims to contribute to the development of sustainable and healthy communities by promoting a broad understanding of agriculture and research to educators, students, community groups, and the general public.
Open Dialogue Live event on how policy impacts food insecurity
Dalhousie researchers and alumni discussed the importance of a sustainable and healthy food production system, the complexity of our food and agricultural industry, and the socioeconomic considerations that contribute to food insecurity and inequity. Watch the discussion about food insecurity on YouTube.
Why Agriculture?
This series of videos on agricultural topics important to our faculty, students, and alumni give their passion a voice and educate a wide audience about the power of agriculture to feed and heal the world. Watch Why Food Waste? and others in the series on YouTube.
Dalhousie helping students become more food secure on Giving Tuesday
Post-secondary schools across Nova Scotia are once again joining together with Dalhousie University on Giving Tuesday, to raise funds for campus food banks across the province through the The Food Security Project.
Dalhousie Urban Garden Society (DUGS)
The purpose of the Urban Garden Society is to provide a safe, inclusive space for students, community members, student societies and academic programs to learn about the challenges and unique opportunities of urban gardening and food production alternatives, via an experience-based, student volunteer-run campus urban garden project.
Nobel Peace Prize win for World Food Programme adds momentum to Dal alum’s battle against global hunger
The program was lauded for acting as a driving force in efforts to prevent the use of hunger as a weapon of war and conflict. For Dal alum Benjamin Syme Van Ameringen (BA’09), a long-time employee based at the organization’s Geneva offices, the recognition couldn’t have come at a better time. Read the Dal News story about working against global hunger.
Less waste, less hunger
The Black Student Advising Centre and the Indigenous Student Centre have partnered with Aramark (Dalhousie's on-campus food service provider) and Second Harvest Food Rescue (non-profit). Twice-weekly, unsold packaged food and unused packaged food from campus retailers and catered events are distributed to the two centres to address student need.
The delicate balance between grocery store profit and food security
At the Agri-food Analytics Lab, our research follows food prices closely. Every year, we predict which food categories will increase or decrease in value, and by how much. Read the story about the lab in School of Public Administration news.
Foundation for inclusion and distinction
Serving up sustainability: Dal earns Fairtrade campus designation
The university has officially been designated as a Fairtrade Campus, offering ethically sourced coffee, tea and chocolate in all meal halls, food establishments and catering services. Read the Dal News story about how this initiative was championed by the Dalhousie Fairtrade Campus Committee.
Delivering campus food in a sustainable and healthy manner
Dalhousie recognizes the significance of food sustainability and health to our overall sustainability goals and strives to nourish a culture of sustainable and healthy eating. Explore the Sustainable and Healthy Food Plan.
Dalhousie Student Union Farmer's Market
The DSU Farmer's Market is a student-run farmers market committed to providing fresh, local, and whenever possible, spray-free produce to students and the Halifax community at an affordable cost.
Dalhousie Student Union Food Bank
Students and community members who need long term assistance or just a few meals to get by, can visit the DSU Food Bank on Mondays and Thursdays, by appointment.
Sustainable food choices
With help from our partners, we provide student meals, snacks and catering with sustainablity and diversity in mind. On the Halifax campuses Aramark's approach to sustainability is to look after each other, so that together, we can look after the planet. On the Truro campus, Chartwells sustainability strategy (as a member of Compass Group) focuses on three key pillars: health and wellbeing, environmental game changes, and better for the world.
Did you know? Our food waste isn't wasted
Our organics waste stream include food waste (from preparing meals and beverages (e.g., coffee grounds), spoilage, and un-eaten items), cooking oil, yard waste, plants from research, manure, and wood ash. Food waste and greenhouse plants are composted, cooking oil is recovered for use in items like soaps, yard waste is composted onsite and offsite, and wood ash is delivered to a local farm for fertilizer. Manure is used for fertilizer on the farm and is not weighed. The annual tonnage for all campuses of organics by tonne are the following approximate weights (converted from volume metrics, some weighed on scales, and some from industry averages with varying levels of accuracy): Food Waste – 243 tonnes; Research – Greenhouses, farm plots – 60 tonnes; Cooking Oil – 7 tonnes; Yard Waste – 80 tonnes; Wood Ash – based on a volume/weight calculation – 459 tonnes.