Agriculture and Agri-Food

Are you interested in biomass use as an alternative energy source? The Biomass Handling microcredentials help you analyze on-field and harvest efficiency, drying moister content, and choosing cost-efficient bale collection and handling methods. This microcredential focuses on nature-based solutions to produce energy and is one of four under the theme of Biomass production, handling, storage, and distribution.  Intended learners for this training are existing or potential employees of power generation, mining, or agricultural companies, and residents of rural or remote communities where biomass is harvested, collected, and stored, including First Nations and rural agricultural communities. 

Alternative energy and agriculture? Plants produce biomass that can be burned for heat or converted to renewable energy. However, it takes planning. The Biomass Production Raw Materials microcredential looks at biomass production and prepares participants to select materials, plan fields, assess parameters, and prep fields for the next season. This microcredential focuses on nature-based solutions to produce energy and is one of four under the theme of Biomass production, handling, storage, and distribution.   Intended learners for this training are existing or potential employees of power generation, mining, or agricultural companies, and residents of rural or remote communities where biomass is harvested, collected, and stored, including First Nations and rural agricultural communities. 

How do you store biomass? The Biomass Storage microcredential assists participants in their learning journey by training them to assess optimal storage locations and conditions, create fire codes and standards for bale storage, and create a bale storage yard design. This microcredential is one of four under the theme of Biomass production, handling, storage, and distribution.   Intended learners for this training are existing or potential employees of power generation, mining, or agricultural companies, and residents of rural or remote communities where biomass is harvested, collected, and stored, including First Nations and rural agricultural communities. 

You have decided to enter biomass production. How do you move your material? The Biomass Supply Chain micro-credential assists participants in assessing inventory distribution across the supply chain, tracking and tracing materials, and assessing inventory monitoring systems. This microcredential focuses on nature-based solutions to produce energy and is one of four under the theme of Biomass production, handling, storage, and distribution. Intended learners for this training are existing or potential employees of power generation, mining, or agricultural companies, and residents of rural or remote communities where biomass is harvested, collected, and stored, including First Nations and rural agricultural communities.

This microcredential will teach you how to minimize your environmental impact through sustainable practices. Additionally, you'll explore food sovereignty, learning how it enables communities to produce higher-quality food, increase the value of their crops, and make local decisions that positively impact both people and the environment. The microcredential is specifically designed to train Indigenous producers in Northern Saskatchewan. The design and delivery will support, acknowledge, and respect the learners’ needs and time. To meet the needs of students, the online course has been designed to be user friendly, highly engaging, and interactive. Producers from all areas of Canada will benefit from taking the course.

This microcredential introduces the main sources of GHG emissions in cropping systems (tillage, nutrient management and pest management) and will assist learners in identifying cropland management practices to reduce GHG emissions and sequester carbon. Based on current research and best practices, learners will develop farm-specific strategies for their crops operation that reduce GHG emissions and increase carbon sequestration.   ​​​By the end of this training, learners will develop farm-specific strategies for a crop production operation that reduces greenhouse gas emissions and increase carbon sequestration.      Note: Successful completion of the Climate Smart Agriculture Fundamentals microcredential is a pre-requisite for this microcredential. 

Data management and analysis are key in allowing the agriculture sector to facilitate change when transitioning to a low carbon economy and meeting net zero targets. Using farm level data to support decisions will ensure farmers and farm workers are positioned to make decisions to optimize yields and outputs for their specific situation. Digitization of agriculture data is a key factor for the sector going forward and how that data is used and interpreted will affect productivity, competitiveness, profitability, traceability and application of inputs. 

This microcredential introduces the main sources of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in agriculture and will assist learners in identifying farm management practices to reduce GHG emissions and sequester carbon through alternatives to fossil fuels, land management and water management. Based on current research and best practices, learners will develop farm-specific strategies for their farm operations that reduce GHG emissions and increase carbon sequestration.   Note: Successful completion of the Climate Smart Agriculture Fundamentals microcredential is a pre-requisite for our Cropping Systems and Livestock Systems Climate Smart microcredentials.

This microcredential introduces the main sources of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in livestock systems (enteric fermentation, forage production, and manure) and will assist learners in identifying livestock management practices to reduce GHG emissions and sequester carbon. Based on current research and best practices, learners will develop farm-specific strategies for their livestock operation that reduce GHG emissions and increase carbon sequestration.