in recent years, experts have warned that with the ever-increasing use of technology in the agri-food supply chain there is a mounting vulnerability to cybersecurity attacks. a successful attack could lead to a disruption in both food production and processing – impacting both supply and pricing. despite these warnings, there is generally a lack of robust cybersecurity measures in place in the agri-food sector.
considering this increasing risk, the critical industrial technologies (cit) initiative is supporting ontario-led company consortia in the development and implementation of innovative solutions to address the cybersecurity threat to ontario’s agri-food sector.
the cybersecurity solutions developed and demonstrated through this challenge statement must be capable of widespread implementation and adoption throughout a multitude of businesses to have a significant impact on securing ontario’s agri-food supply chain.
the critical technology initiative is looking for novel, innovative solutions specifically applicable to the agri-food sector that are easily adopted and readily scalable. solutions may include, but are not limited to, software as a service offerings for smaller producers with limited it resources, enterprise applications for large processors or securing the everincreasing number of iot devices throughout the agri-food supply chain.
this is a unique opportunity for companies to receive funding support to develop, demonstrate and drive the adoption of their innovative cybersecurity solutions across the agri-food sector to help ensure the future stability of ontario’s food supply.