About the Peace Region Living Lab
Director's Welcome Message
Hello to our producer collaborators, partner groups, and science team!
My name is Akim Omokanye and I am the Program Director for the Peace Region Living Lab (PRLL). I am very happy to welcome you to the PRLL family.
Just like you, I am excited about the PRLL project. As producers, I am sure you are all proud of your different agriculture groups in the Peace Region for being able to pull this project together and receive funds totaling $5,957,119 from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada for the PRLL project. The living lab project will span across the Peace Region over the next five years.
The Living Labs initiative brings together farmers and ranchers with scientists and commodity groups in our agricultural community to come up with ideas for best management practices (BMPs) aimed at solving climate change challenges; it is an innovation project supported by research. A living lab is a unique approach to problem-solving. This approach focuses on producers’ needs and expertise with numerous on-farm assessments with producers making the decisions and driving the process.
We live in exciting times indeed! We all know that the climate is changing. The weather events of last year in the Peace Region are still fresh in our memories. As producers in the PRLL family, I do not doubt that you feel the excitement that I feel about the project ride to come. That you, as our core producers have identified some potential technologies and using BMPs to help combat climate change and are willing to work with several partners for data collection over the next 5 years for measurements such as carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas emissions.
With the living lab, when we dig a little deeper we may find structures or patterns that cause reoccurring events to happen. If we keep digging we might be able to see what could be causing the pattern to repeat itself, positively or negatively. Environmental co-benefits such as water infiltration rates, soil health parameters and species diversity both above and below-ground will be monitored over the life span of the living lab project to help us explain these patterns. Socioeconomic factors relating to these practices, producers/land stewards’ welfare and quality of life will be an important component of this project.
As part of the PRLL and a top priority is the knowledge transfer and exchange which will focus on peer-to-peer learning and bringing together producers at different stages of adoption. Your farms will be the center of learning and observation for producers, scientists, and local ag experts. There will be many opportunities for the community to visit your farms and smaller field scale sites, be part of field days and even some of the data collection.
Nine different groups and their producers/land stewards on both sides of Alberta (AB) and British Columbia (BC) Peace Region came together to brainstorm ideas that span different cropping systems, livestock management practices and horticultural crop production. This whole process is one of a kind for the Peace Region. We are very grateful to the Peace Region Forage Seed Association for taking the lead in the development and submission of the proposal. We show special gratitude and say a big thank you to Monika Benoit and Talon Gauthier for all the good work and special roles they played in bringing the shared dream of the living lab to fruition. Your level of quality work remains unprecedented in the PRLL project.
Thank you very much to the other Peace Region producer groups: Peace River Forage Association of BC, Peace Region Food Action Hub & Agricultural Extension Institute, BC Grain Producers Association, Fourth Sister Farm, North Peace Applied Research Association, Mackenzie Applied Research Association, SARDA Ag Research and the Peace Country Beef & Forage Association, for all the support, contributions and deliberations, above all, for making this happen. This is because we all recognize that producers face similar challenges and the opportunity to connect cross-commodity producers and organizations will create a stronger network of knowledge, communication channels and the sharing of resources.
For your information, the PRLL Management Team is made up of the following five members:
- Talon Gauthier, Lead Application Manager, Peace Region Forage Seed Association, BC.
- Monika Benoit, Socioeconomics Lead, PRLL Proposal Development
- Akim Omokanye, Director, Peace Country Beef and Forage Association, AB.
- Nadia Mori, Extension Program Coordinator, Peace River Forage Association of BC.
- Liisa Jeffrey, Financial Coordinator, Peace Country Beef and Forage Association, AB.
On behalf of the PRLL Management Team, I sincerely thank you and acknowledge you for being part of this exciting project from the start and coming out to celebrate with us on this occasion of the PRLL Kickoff event.
Remember, this is a living lab, so your continuous feedback is important to us.
We look forward to working with you on various aspects of the PRLL project.
Regards,
Akim Omokanye, PhD, PAg
PRLL Program Director
Executive Summary
The Peace Region Living Lab project is a region-wide collaboration led by the Peace Region Forage Seed Association (PRFSA). Seven other producer groups and an Indigenous Partner, Fourth Sister Farm, have joined the PRSFA to bring together a project that will serve agricultural producers and land stewards of the region. Enhancing agroecosystem services in the Peace River Region is the focus of the Peace Region Living Lab (PRLL), with the goal of adoption of practices that improve productivity, profitability and environmental resiliency. This Living Lab is unique in that it will encompass the Peace Region in both Alberta and BC. The PRLL will look at agricultural operations as whole systems, considering land management, economic analysis and the social aspect of implementing innovative practices.
The priority of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's Agricultural Climate Solutions (ACS) program is to contribute to Canada's plan to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 30% below 2005 levels by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2050. Its objective is to find farm-level climate solutions that will contribute to reducing GHG emissions, mitigating effects of climate change, and supporting environmental benefits while increasing sectoral resilience. The vision for the Peace Region Living Lab aligns with the top priorities of the ACS program which include carbon sequestration, GHG emissions reduction and other environmental benefits (improved soil health, biodiversity, water quality). The Peace Region of Alberta and British Columbia boasts an expansive and diverse northern agriculture and agro-forestry environment. Ranging from between 50⁰ and 60⁰ N latitude, the opportunities for carbon sequestration, greenhouse gas emission reduction and enhanced biodiversity are bountiful. Examples of BMPs that will be analyzed on producer’s operations include relay cropping, cover cropping in a variety of contexts, grazing management and livestock integration with annual cropping and vegetable systems. Knowledge exchange and extension are a cornerstone of the project and the program will encompass a range of activities including peer-to-peer learning, co-development of BMPs, and various learning materials such as a video series and podcast. Specific activities designed to support Indigenous land stewards and youth in agriculture are included in the project.
The approval of this application secures the delivery of these critical activities and ensures that the region continues to be on the cutting edge of innovative management practices. The identification and documentation of BMPs that can build resiliency into farm and ranch operations gives producers practical management tools needed to manage the many risks, particularly due to climate change, that are associated with agriculture and land stewardship.
The Peace Region Forage Seed Association (PRFSA) has a strong history of working collaboratively with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, particularly the Beaverlodge Research Station. The association also has a check-off on turf and forage seed grown in the region to generate dollars for research and extension activities. This multi-stakeholder partnership involving AAFC, regional research and extension associations, academia, and provincial associations has accomplished successful studies and technology transfer, contributing to the resiliency in production systems. The PRFSA is also highly active in collaborating on work with many of the other consultants and AAFC research scientists stationed at various research centres across Canada. The PRFSA feels the information gained from this project is critical to the agriculture industry not only in the Peace River Region but across western Canada.
Our Team
Who’s Who on the Peace Region Living Lab (PRLL) Leadership and Science Team
Lead Application Manager
Talon Gauthier obtained her Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from the University of Alberta in 2013. She has been the general manager for the Peace Region Forage Seed Association since 2014 but worked for the association several years prior as a summer student and general contractor.
Talon, her husband and their three kids manage a cow/calf operation just north west of Dawson Creek, BC.
Socio-Economic Coordinator
Monika Benoit has a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from the University of Alberta. She has spent most of her working career in applied research and extension, along with time as a ruminant nutritionist and as an ag lender. Monika grain farms and does some custom grazing west of High Prairie with her husband, in-laws and 3 kids.
Director
Dr. Akim Omokanye holds a PhD in Systems Agriculture from Western Sydney University, Australia. He has led the research program at the Peace Country Beef and Forage Association for the past 12 years, and is also an adjunct professor at the University of Alberta’s Department of Renewable Resources. He has served on many agricultural committees and boards. He has a lifetime total of 41 peer-reviewed journal publications, including 8 in the past 5 years.
Extension Program Coordinator
Nadia Mori earned her Master of Science at the University of Saskatchewan. She has been a forage extension specialist for over 10 years working with the Saskatchewan and BC provincial government. More recently, Nadia has taken on the coordinator role with the Peace River Forage Association of BC. She is also a trained actor and among other credits has produced several audiobooks and two podcast series. When Nadia wears a farmer hat, she produces microgreens and fresh vegetables to bring local food to northern communities.
Financial Coordinator
Liisa Jeffrey has a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from the Nova Scotia Agricultural College. She worked in corporate accounting for 7 years while pursuing a Chartered Professional Accountant designation, giving her a strong background in financial and business management. Liisa has been leading the Peace Country Beef & Forage Association team for the past 6 years.
Dr. Blasius Azuhnwi earned his PhD in Agricultural Sciences from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology. Prior to that, he obtained a DVM, and then an MSc in Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resource Management, with a specialization in feed and forage evaluation. Though he joined the Peace Country Beef and Forage Association team only recently, his past work experience includes meat inspector, independent consultant, adjunct professor, and manager of the National Feed and Forage Laboratory in Cameroon. He published 5 articles in peer-reviewed publications between 2013 and 2020.
Dr. Maria Angelica Ouellette is the research coordinator at the North Peace Applied Research Association (NPARA), and oversees all research activities at the research farm. Dr. Ouellette has many years of research experience in soil quality and cropping systems. She graduated with her Ph.D (University of Guelph) in 2016, where she investigated the "Effect of herbicide residues on spring and fall-seeded cover crop root growth and potential to modify soil aggregate stability and mineral N".
Lance Ouellette (M.Sc CCA-ON) is the manager at the North Peace Applied Research Association(NPARA). In addition to staff, operations and budgeting, Lance oversees all extension activities at NPARA. Lance also works closely with the research coordinator to develop research priorities for the North Peace region. He helps with planning and implementation of research. Lance is currently finishing up his Ph.D at the University of Guelph. His thesis investigated the "Impact of sediment legacy phosphorus on loading rates in the Grand River watershed". He is also experienced in cropping systems research, where his M.Sc thesis was on investigating the "Impact of cover crop and corn stover decomposition on soil quality".
Sampath Walgama is the manager of MARA. He was born and raised in Sri Lanka where he earned a Bachelor of Science (B Sc.) in Environmental Science from the University of Colombo. Sampath went on to complete a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph. D) in Agricultural Entomology, at the University of Queensland, Australia. He worked as an Entomologist at the Tea Research Institute of Sri Lanka for 15 years managing a research group. He moved to Canada in 2010 to work at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) in Lethbridge. He is a Certified Pesticide Applicator (CPA). He also taught classes at Lethbridge College.
Surendra Bhattarai is a research scientist at SARDA Ag Research. He obtained his MSc (2017), Ph.D (2020) and Postdoctoral fellowship in forage agronomy and breeding under the supervision of Dr. Bill Biligetu from the University of Saskatchewan, SK. His research focuses on re-designing cropping systems for profitability, sustainability, and resilience. He is particularly interested in forage crops, crop diversification, and cover crops.
AAFC Principal Investigators
Dr. Kirsten Hannam is a research Scientist at the Summerland Research and Development Centre in BC. Kirsten’s research has focussed primarily on the effects of forest and agricultural management practices on soil carbon, soil nutrient availability, and soil health.
Dr. Bharat Shrestha is a Biology Study Lead for Soil Health and Fertility Development at the Beaverlodge Research Farm. Dr. Bharat Shrestha is a well-seasoned researcher who has worked earlier with academia and government agencies. He has completed many projects and has a track record of publications from his earlier projects. Dr. Shrestha will be a science co-lead of the project.
Dr. Shabtai Bittman is a research Scientist at the Agassiz Research and Development Centre in BC. Dr. Bittman’s research focus areas include agroecosystem resiliency and his areas of expertise include agronomy and agricultural waste management.
AAFC Site Coordinator
Jesse MacDonald is a biologist at the Summerland Research and Development Centre. Jesse’s primary areas of expertise include knowledge and technology transfer, integrated pest management, plant pathology and entomology, and pest management. Jesse grew up on a tree fruit orchard in the Okanagan Valley, where his family has remained heavily involved in all things agriculture in BC. His research experience spans most commodities across southern interior and coastal BC.
AAFC Science Team Members
Dr. Emma Stephens is a bio-economist at the Lethbridge Research and Development Centre. Emma's current work is focused around agriculture systems analysis and food security, quantifying the value of beneficial insects, machine learning and climate mitigation in agriculture and carbon capture in root crops.
Dr. Steve Pernal is the National Lead for Apiculture Research Program and officer-in-charge of the Beaverlodge Research Farm. His research projects includes assessing bee health, threats to pollinators, plant virus, invasive species and pathogen surveillance using honey bees.
Dr. Nitya Khanal is a Research Scientist based at the Beaverlodge Research Farm. He leads the Forage program with a special focus on forage seed crops, covering aspects of cropping systems design, soils and plant nutrient management, plant growth regulation, plant protection, population improvement, breeder’s seed maintenance and cultivar testing for local adaptation.
Dr. Marta Guarna is a Research Scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada based at the Beaverlodge Research Farm, and an Adjunct Professor at the University of British Columbia. Dr. Guarna is an active member of the BeeHIVE Research Cluster, and the BeeBiome Consortium. Her current research is on bee and plant pathogens, pollination, and the use of honey bees for biomonitoring.
Dr. Jennifer Otani is leader of the entomology research program at the Beaverlodge Research Farm. She leads many projects and is a current co-chair of the Prairie Pest Monitoring Network.
Dr. Luke Bainard is a research Scientist at the Agassiz Research and Development Centre. Dr. Bainard’s work is focused on agroecosystem resiliency and his areas of expertise include microbial and soil ecology.
Dr. Aime Messiga is a research Scientist at the Agassiz Research and Development Centre. Dr. Messiga’s areas of expertise include nutrient management and environmental science.
Dr. Thomas Forge is a research Scientist at the Summerland Research and Development Centre. Dr. Forge’s areas of expertise include soil ecology, root-microbe interactions and soil organic matter management.
Dr. Rishi Burlakoti is a research Scientist at the Agassiz Research and Development Centre. Dr. Burlakoti’s research interests include plant pathology and integrated pest management.
Derek Hunt is a biologist at the Agassiz Research and Development Centre, primarily working in forage crops and nutrient management.
Dr. Letitia Da Ros is a research Scientist at the Summerland Research and Development Centre. Dr. Da Ros’ primary areas of research include gene expression and mapping, and plant physiology in the horticulture sector.
Dr. David Ensing is a research Scientist at the Summerland Research and Development Centre. Dr. Ensing works in the Agro-Ecosystem Resilience sector and his expertise is in plant ecology and evolution and biological weed control. Ron Reade is a biologist at the Summerland Research and Development Centre. Ron’s areas of focus include field virology, plant molecular biology and plant diagnostics.
Dr. Mehdi Sharifi is a research Scientist at the Summerland Research and Development Centre. Dr. Sharifi’s research is focused on soil nutrient management, soil health, and plant nutrition.
For more information on the PRLL Partner Groups, please see the Partners page.
