Dalhousie is well-positioned to play a significant role in advancing food policy and its impact on food security. As a multi- and inter-disciplinary institution that accesses and nurtures Atlantic Canada’s strengths, this may include finding solutions for greater food production and distribution while also examining the importance of improved food accessibility for a growing population.

Join us for a thought-provoking conversation on this topic with special guests, Cassie Hayward, King’s alum and policy analyst with Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, Dr. Phoebe Stephens, assistant professor in Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security at Dalhousie’s Agricultural Campus, and Dr. Gumataw Abebe, assistant professor in the Department of Business and Social Sciences at Dalhousie’s Agricultural Campus.  The event will be moderated by Dr. Chris Hartt, professor in the Department of Business and Social Sciences at Dalhousie’s Agricultural Campus.

This event will be presented in person in Room 153 of the newly reopened Cox Institute on our Agricultural Campus. We encourage you to join us in person for the opportunity to interact with the speakers and be entered to win a door prize valued at $150 (details below).

For those unable to attend in person, the panel will also be livestreamed via Dalhousie Alumni and Friends Facebook Live and Dalhousie YouTube. All attendees will have an opportunity to engage during the Q&A portion following the discussion.

Register to attend

This event is free and open to the public, but guests must RSVP to attend in person or to participate virtually via livestream. In person attendees who have registered in advance will be entered for a chance to win a door prize valued at $150:

For alumni and friends – a gift basket of Faculty of Agriculture alumni-produced goods, valued at $150

For students – a $150 Sobeys gift card

Learn more about what this dynamic conversation will cover in a preview article on the Alumni & Friends website.

About the speakers

Cassie Hayward (BA’19),  is a policy analyst on leave with Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada. A native of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, she became interested in food security and agriculture in Grade 10 through the 4-H program. During her undergrad at The University of King’s College and Dalhousie, she went to the Youth Agricultural Summit as a delegate for Canada, based on an essay she had written on how young people can achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. She also won 10,000 euros at that summit, which she used to successfully pilot a food security project in Kenya. Cassie was later invited to speak about her work at the United Nations Committee on Global Food Security. The following year, Cassie addressed the United Nations for the first time, and has been there four times since. Cassie also has an MA in governance from the University of Waterloo, and is currently working towards her PhD at Cambridge University in England.

Dr. Phoebe Stevens holds a PhD in Social and Ecological Sustainability. She joined the Faculty of Agriculture in July 2022 as an Assistant Professor in Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture. Dr. Stephens is focusing her research at the nexus of sustainable food systems, finance and innovation. She is interested in studies that explore the role of impact investors, venture capitalists and agrifood tech incubators in supporting transitions to more sustainable food systems. She has also published several peer reviewed journal articles and book chapters that consider how financialization impacts food security and sustainability.

Dr. Gumataw Abebe is an assistant professor in the Department of Business and Social Sciences at Dalhousie University Faculty of Agriculture. He holds a Ph.D. in Agribusiness Management from Wageningen University & Research, The Netherlands. Prior to joining Dalhousie University, he worked at Hawassa University (Ethiopia) and American University of Beirut (Lebanon) for several years. His research explores the efficiency and effectiveness of agrifood supply (value) chains in responding to food safety, food quality, sustainability, and food security challenges.

Our Moderator

Dr. Chris Hartt is a professor of management in the Department of Business & Social Sciences at Dalhousie’s Faculty of Agriculture. He is also the team leader of the Agriculture Sustainability Studies for Economic and Social Success (ASSESS) program. His research focuses on the profitability potential of locally produced dairy, pork and beef, as well as environmental considerations, including water usage, greenhouse gas emissions, and food waste mitigation, in these commodities. He has published four books, with two more in development, and over 50 academic papers. He is highly committed to local production and consumption. Read more about the panelists on the Alumni & Friends website.