Food security needs to be part of Canada’s defence strategy
Weeks after a widely praised Davos speech by Mark Carney, Canada’s new Defence Industrial Strategy has drawn criticism for omitting food from its list of 10 prioritized sovereign capacities, raising concerns about the country’s long-term food security. “By leaving food out of the DIS, Canada has left strategic autonomy over the food system unexamined and unprotected,” writes Guillaume Lhermie. He argued that despite Canada’s status as a major food exporter, the agrifood sector is deeply dependent on foreign inputs, machinery, and technologies, leaving it vulnerable to supply disruptions, cyberattacks, and declining investment. The strategy could unintentionally weaken the food system further by intensifying labour shortages and resource competition. He urged the government to recognize agriculture as critical to national sovereignty and integrate it into future defence planning.
