Transform Challenges into innovative solutions

In this rapidly evolving world of agriculture and agri-food, CISA is taking an innovative approach to spark practical initiatives in the field.

Social Innovation

A social innovation is a new idea, approach or intervention—a new service, product, law, or organization—that addresses a clearly defined social need in a more effective and sustainable way than existing solutions. A social innovation is taken up within an institution, organization, or community, generates measurable benefits for society, and has a transformative, system-wide impact (Réseau québécois en innovation sociale).

Beyond being an outcome, social innovation is also a process. In line with its mission, CISA supports field actors in the different stages of the innovation lifecycle.

Transform challenges into innovative solutions

Action Research

To support innovation, CISA uses an action research approach that brings field actors together in the co-creation of solutions to real-world challenges. Grounded in solid data and the transfer of best practices observed in Québec and around the world, CISA’s approach helps foster and test solutions tailored to the organizations, regions, and communities it works with.

Solutions Rooted in the Realities of the Field

Built on creativity, collaboration, and innovation, co-creation means finding effective solutions by involving everyone concerned by a given issue or need. At CISA, we see this form of collective intelligence as a key driver to innovate and open up new perspectives. By connecting all stakeholders, we gain a broader understanding of the challenges. Through these relationships and an innovative mindset, we develop tailored solutions that lead to concrete actions. This creative and constructive collaboration makes it easier for stakeholders to adopt and take ownership of new practices or services.

Action Research focus

Themes

Food is at the centre of our lives, and it comes with many challenges. Production methods, farming practices, resource and materials management, and the health and well-being of producers, communities, and regions all affect our daily lives and our future. Through applied research, training, knowledge transfer, technical support, and citizen education, CISA contributes to agricultural and agri-food development across a wide range of themes:

  • Establishing the next generation of farmers
  • Agribusiness incubators
  • Agricultural motels
  • Farmland protection
  • Access to land
  • Agricultural social utility trust
  • Farmers' living conditions and health
  • Farm business succession and transfer
  • Food production in northern and Indigenous contexts
  • Farm labour replacement services
  • Institutional food procurement and marketing
  • Regional food systems
  • Local sourcing and short marketing
  • Food logistics hubs
  • Shared production resources
  • Shared processing spaces and equipment
  • Food security
  • Educational gardens
  • Management of agricultural residual materials
  • Regional development
  • Governance of agri-food initiatives
  • Social and professional integration through agri-food
  • Collective entrepreneurship in agriculture
  • Support for adapting and adopting new technologies

Our services

Some of the services offered by CISA include:

  • 1Diagnostic studies
  • 2Surveys
  • 3Evaluations
  • 4Case Studies
  • 5Development plans
  • 6Education and Awareness Activities
  • 7Training
  • 8Conferences
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Unique agricultural expertise in Quebec

Direct results

As part of the Maple Farmers' Community project: an innovative method, a success for the future of the establishment, CISA provides support for the implementation of an evolutionary evaluation process for the Laboratory, allowing better follow-up on the progress of the project, in addition to ensuring the production of mobilization and transfer tools.

Diane Bisson, Project Manager community of farmers, MRC de L’Érable

CISA's work has enabled us to collect relevant information on soil compaction, which represents a major issue identified by producers in the Lac Saint-Pierre watershed as part of the Living Laboratories of Quebec project.

Dorothé Ngondjeb Yong Nje, Economist Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

How did CISA’s involvement make a difference in the project? An essential and recognized skill, which will have allowed the project to progress with confidence by all stakeholders.

Robert Gagnon, Chairman of the Board of Directors Jardins du 53e Taïga