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Evan Fraser

Evan Fraser

Director of the Arrell Food Institute at the University of Guelph; Professor; Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Global Food Security, University of Guelph
Evan started thinking about agriculture and food systems while spending summers working on his grandfather’s fruit farm in Niagara. There, he watched his stock-broker grandmother rake in an unconscionable amount of money on commissions from her clients’ investments while the farmers around were letting their crops rot because the cost of harvesting was higher than the cost of importing from the Southern US and Mexico. He decided, however, it was easier to write and talk about farming than actually try to make a living on it so passed on inheriting the family farm, opting instead for grad school. He did degrees in forestry, anthropology and agriculture at UBC and UofT. Since graduating, he worked in a policy institute with the Hon. Dr. Lloyd Axworthy, and began his academic career in 2003 in the UK where he worked on farming and climate change at the University of Leeds. He is the author of approximately 70 scientific papers or book chapters on these topics, has written for the Guardian.com, CNN.com, ForeignAffairs.com, the Walrus and the Ottawa Citizen, and has two popular non-fiction books about food and food security including: Empires of Food: Feast, Famine and the Rise and Fall of Civilizations that was published by Simon and Schuster and shortlisted for the James Beard Food Literature Award. Currently, he is the director of the Arrell Food Institute, holds the Tier I Canada Research Chair in Global Food Security and is a fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographic Society.

Space Science Series

The food systems that will feed Mars are set to transform food on Earth

Jan 24, 2023 05:32 am UTC| Technology

Could we feed a city on Mars? This question is central to the future of space exploration and has serious repercussions on Earth too. To date, a lot of thought has gone into how astronauts eat; however, we are only...

3 technologies poised to change food and the planet

Feb 20, 2021 12:23 pm UTC| Technology

Agricultures impact on the planet is massive and relentless. Roughly 40 per cent of the Earths surface is used for cropland and grazing. The number of domestic animals far outweighs remaining wild populations. Every day,...

100 days of coronavirus has sent shock waves through the food system

Jun 21, 2020 04:02 am UTC| Insights & Views Business

The COVID-19 lockdown has exposed a large number of problems in the food system. Whether it was the panic buying or workers in meat-packing plants testing positive for the virus, serious concerns have been raised about...

Insects, seaweed and lab-grown meat could be the foods of the future

Feb 04, 2020 12:18 pm UTC| Health

The world is facing a major food crisis where both obesity and hunger are rising in the context of rapidly changing environments. The Food and Agriculture Organization has presented alternative food sources such as...

How digital technologies can help Africa's smallholder farmers

Jul 12, 2019 09:58 am UTC| Insights & Views Technology

Digitisation could change the game for agriculture in Africa. Thats a key message in a report recently released by an international institution that enhances smallholder farming in African, Caribbean and Pacific...

Canada's new food policy means everyone's at the table

Jul 03, 2019 21:06 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics

Marie-Claude Bibeau, Canadas agriculture and agrifood minister, recently announced that, after years of consultations, Canada finally has a national food policy. Developing the policy had been one of the ministrys...

A Canadian food policy moves closer to becoming a reality

Sep 13, 2018 13:15 pm UTC| Insights & Views Law

One of the key commitments the federal government made upon taking office was to establish a food policy for all Canadians. The rationale was simple. Although, or perhaps because, food intersects so many aspects of life...

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Economy

Oil Prices Rise Amid Iran Conflict and Strait of Hormuz Disruption

Oil prices climbed on Friday as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East continued to unsettle global energy markets. Efforts to resolve the ongoing conflict involving Iran remain stalled, with Tehran maintaining its...

Asian Stock Markets Rise Amid Wall Street Rally and U.S.-Iran Tensions

Asian stock markets edged higher on Friday in thin holiday trading, following record-breaking gains on Wall Street, while investors remained cautious about escalating tensions between the United States and Iran. Trading...

Gold Prices Hold Steady as Iran War and Interest Rate Outlook Weigh on Markets

Gold prices stabilized during Asian trading on Friday, showing slight gains after two consecutive months of losses. Investors remain cautious as uncertainty surrounding the Iran war and its impact on global inflation and...

Yen Weakens After Intervention Spike as Dollar Stabilizes Amid Global Tensions

The Japanese yen slipped on Friday after a sharp surge in the previous session, which was widely attributed to suspected currency market intervention by Tokyo. Meanwhile, the U.S. dollar stabilized following notable losses...

Tokyo Inflation Slows Despite Energy Pressures and BOJ Policy Outlook

Tokyos latest inflation data showed mixed signals in April, highlighting the complex balance between rising global energy costs and domestic government intervention. Japan inflation trends remain a key focus for investors,...

Politics

U.S. Flags Vietnam as “Priority Foreign Country” Over Intellectual Property Concerns

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) has officially designated Vietnam as a Priority Foreign Country in its latest annual intellectual property (IP) report, signaling heightened concern over the...

Japan Eases Arms Export Rules, Opening Door for Potential Ukraine Defense Support

Japans recent relaxation of its weapons export rules could pave the way for future discussions on supplying military equipment to Ukraine, according to Kyivs ambassador to Tokyo. The policy shift, led by Prime Minister...

FEMA Reinstates Employees After Dissent Letter, Signaling Shift in Workforce Stability

The U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has reinstated more than a dozen employees who were placed on administrative leave in August 2025 after signing a public letter criticizing agency leadership and...

Iran Threatens Prolonged Strikes as Strait of Hormuz Crisis Drives Global Oil Surge

Iran has warned it will launch long and painful strikes against U.S. positions if Washington escalates military action, intensifying tensions in the ongoing U.S.-Israeli conflict with Tehran. The situation has...

Lula Plans New Supreme Court Nomination After Historic Senate Rejection

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is preparing to submit a new nominee for the Supreme Federal Court after the Senate rejected his initial choice, marking a historic political setback. According to...

Science

China vs. NASA: The New Moon Race and What's at Stake by 2030

The space race is back and this time, its a direct competition between the United States and China for dominance on the lunar surface. NASAs Artemis II mission recently made history when four astronauts flew farther into...

NASA Artemis II: First Crewed Moon Mission Since Apollo Takes Four Astronauts on 10-Day Lunar Journey

NASAs Artemis II mission launched Wednesday, marking humanitys return to crewed lunar exploration for the first time since the Apollo era. Carrying four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft, this historic 10-day mission...

NASA's Artemis II Mission: First Crewed Lunar Journey Since Apollo

NASAs Artemis II mission launched Wednesday, marking humanitys return to crewed lunar exploration for the first time since the Apollo era. Carrying four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft, this historic 10-day mission...

NASA's Artemis II Crew Arrives in Florida for Historic Moon Mission

The four astronauts chosen for NASAs Artemis II mission have touched down at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, marking the beginning of final launch preparations for the first crewed lunar journey in over 50 years. NASA...

SpaceX Pivots Toward Moon City as Musk Reframes Long-Term Space Vision

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has revealed a significant shift in the companys near-term space exploration strategy, announcing that SpaceX is now prioritizing the development of a self-growing city on the Moon rather than focusing...

Technology

Apple Q2 2026 Earnings Surge as iPhone 17 Sales Drive Record Revenue

Apple delivered a strong fiscal Q2 2026 performance, reporting record-breaking revenue and profit growth fueled by robust iPhone sales and expanding services. The tech giant posted earnings of $2.01 per share on $111.18...

FBI Warns of China’s Expanding Hack-for-Hire Network Amid Extradition Case

The Chinese governments alleged hack-for-hire ecosystem is rapidly expanding and becoming increasingly difficult to control, according to a senior FBI official. Speaking on Thursday, FBI Assistant Director Brett Leatherman...

Taiwan Activates Backup Communications After Undersea Cable Break on Dongyin Island

Taiwan has activated emergency backup communications for Dongyin, its northernmost and strategically important island, after an undersea cable was damaged due to shifting shipwreck debris caused by severe weather. The...

Meta Raises 2026 Capex Outlook Amid AI Spending Surge, Shares Drop After Earnings

Meta Platforms has increased its full-year capital expenditure guidance for 2026, signaling continued aggressive investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure despite rising costs and market concerns. The company...

Amazon Stock Dips Despite Record Earnings as AI Infrastructure Spending Surges

Amazon (AMZN) shares slipped 2.6% in after-hours trading on Wednesday, even after the company delivered record-breaking quarterly earnings that exceeded Wall Street expectations. The decline reflects investor concerns over...
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