By Dr. Rahul Singh, director of BCCAI, who holds a PhD in microbiology, a graduate certificate in invention 2 Innovation from The Beedie School of Business at SFU and a mini MBA from UBC-Sauder.
The 1970 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Norman E. Borlaug for his lifetime commitment to feeding a hungry world. Through advanced breeding technologies, he improved Mexican wheat's disease resistance and yield by sixfold, making the country self-sufficient. His efforts launched the "Green Revolution," transforming global agriculture and helping nations feed their rapidly growing populations.
Today, as the world grapples with food insecurity due to population growth, climate change, and geopolitical tensions, the lessons of the Green Revolution remain more relevant than ever.
Since 1970, technology has revolutionized food production through high-yield crop varieties, precision farming and automation, significantly increasing efficiency and output. Advances in biotechnology and AI-driven breeding have enhanced crop resilience, nutrition and sustainability. Precision agriculture, leveraging drones, sensors and data analytics, optimizes resource use, reducing waste and environmental impact. Companies like Heritable Agriculture can now breed crops with the right genetic traits in just one year instead of decades, accelerating agricultural advancements.
Surrey, with over a third of its land designated for farming, is well-positioned to lead the next agricultural revolution.
Agriculture has been a core part of the city’s identity, with the Semiahmoo, Katzie and Kwantlen First Nations cultivating the land for thousands of years.
Today, Surrey's farms utilize cutting-edge technology to produce a diverse array of crops, including dairy, poultry, berries, flowers and greenhouse vegetables. Surrey is at the regional intersection of food production, processing and agri-innovation, making it an ideal location for agritech enterprises. With a favourable climate, fertile soil, and strong market access via air, road, and ocean, Surrey holds a competitive edge in agriculture and agrifood.
Nonetheless, challenges persist. Extreme weather events, such as the heat dome and the catastrophic flooding of 2022, alongside a shifting geopolitical landscape that jeopardizes global supply chains, underscore the urgent need for a resilient economy and a secure food value chain. The future of agriculture in Surrey must focus on building resilience, adopting technology, and fostering innovation to mitigate these risks and ensure long-term food security.
Fortunately, Surrey benefits from access to premier institutions that drive innovation, technology development, and entrepreneurship in the agriculture sector. The B.C. Centre of Agritech Innovation (BCCAI) and School of Mechatronics at Simon Fraser University, and Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Program, along with the Applied Genomics Centre, are leading the way in developing and commercializing cutting-edge technologies while training the next generation of digital farmers.
BCCAI at SFU, which collaborates with all post-secondary institutions in B.C. and around the world while providing community members access to a global network of experts, is leading agritech innovation in B.C., establishing Surrey as a global centre for agritech excellence.
With its rich agricultural history, access to cutting-edge research, and commitment to innovation, Surrey possesses all the essential ingredients to shape the future of food production. By embracing technology, investing in resilience, nurturing entrepreneurship, and collaborating effectively, the city is well on its way to becoming a hub of global agritech innovation.
If you want to learn more about agritech innovation and opportunities in Surrey, please reach out to us at BCCAI, sfu.ca/agritech-innovation.html.
This content is part of the Surrey Economic Development 2025 magazine, produced by Surrey Now-Leader, the Surrey Board of Trade and the South Surrey & White Rock Chamber of Commerce. You can find the full e-edition here.
