Annual Report
2024-2025
Annual Report
2024-2025

Canada

Since 1993, our roots in Quebec's agricultural community have nourished and shaped our international initiatives.

Projects

Agro-Innov Network

Solidarity in Action

Based on a model of cooperation among equals, the Agro-Innov Network volunteer cooperation program promotes the commitment of Canadian volunteers to share knowledge and innovations with some 30 agricultural organisations in 10 countries across Africa, Latin America, and Asia.

Through their engagement, these volunteers make a meaningful contribution to improving the productivity of family farms and developing local economic services.

This past year 52 mandates were carried out on a wide range of topics, including collective marketing, production techniques, agro-environmental practices, organisational development, administration and finance, communications, animal health, economic services, gender equality and youth inclusion.

In addition to the support of volunteers, the Agro-Innov Network has enabled the launch of two new development initiatives in Bolivia through its thematic funding mechanism:

  • A pilot project for poultry farming and fertilizer production led by CELCCAR women's committee in Caranavi.
  • The establishment of two new community kitchens in La Paz with the support of volunteers from the Cuisines et vie collectives St-Roch in Montreal.

The program also raises public awareness and promotes dialogue on current issues. Two webinars were organized, bringing together people from the agri-food sector in Quebec and partner countries on the following themes:

  • Climate negotiations: What impact on agriculture and food security?
  • Agriculture and agri-food: When community services support the growth of entrepreneurship.

The Réseau Agro-Innov volunteer cooperation program is funded by Global Affairs Canada.

What our volunteers think

Women Supporting Women

In partnership with Women Farmers of Quebec, six female  agricultural entrepreneurs from Quebec flew to Tunisia to carry out capacity-building assignments as part of the Projet de structuration des services économiques et environnementaux aux transformatrices agroalimentaires tunisiennes (PSSEETAT) (Project for Structuring Economic and Environmental Services for Tunisian Women Agro-Food Processors).

The purpose of this assignment was to share their expertise and experience as farmers and businesswomen with women members of various mutual agricultural service societies (SMSAs) in Tunisia.

These inspiring exchanges were greatly appreciated. There is no doubt that greater collaboration is to be expected between women farmers in Quebec and women food processors in Tunisia!

Viens marcher ma terre 2024

Come Walk My Land

Under the theme Lands of Engagement: Together for Family Farming, the 2024 edition of the Viens marcher ma terre internship program welcomed eight women and men from Benin, Guinea, Senegal, and Tunisia to stay in Quebec and exchange with farmers on issues related to agriculture, agri-food processing, and citizen participation.

The delegation participated in several meetings and workshops, visited Quebec agricultural businesses, and took part in the 100th General Congress of the Union des producteurs agricoles (UPA) (Quebec Farmers Union). They also enjoyed a memorable farm stay hosted by members of the Fédération de l’UPA du Centre-du-Québec.

Once again, Viens marcher ma terre highlighted the many shared realities between farmers around the world and sparked ideas for new collaborative initiatives.

A sincere thank you to everyone who contributed to the success of this wonderful edition!

To learn more about the delegation members :

Report by Terre de chez nous

Viens marcher ma terre is made possible thanks to the financial support of the Government of Canada through Global Affairs Canada.

AgriCord General Assembly

In May 2025, UPA Développement international was pleased to welcome representatives from AgriCord’s member agri-agencies and regional agricultural associations to Quebec for its annual general assembly.

Participants used this opportunity to engage in strategic dialogue on the future of cooperation among agricultural communities worldwide, as well as on pressing global issues such as biodiversity protection.

These discussions were directly linked to the geopolitical and economic upheavals of recent months, which lead us to anticipate a reduction in public development aid and a slowdown in global climate change mitigation efforts.

For more information, see the press release

Burkina Faso
Guinea
Martin Caron
President of the Board

The future of agriculture, here and around the world, depends greatly on the decisions we make and the actions we take today. Hence the expression, “The future starts now.”

This projection into the future calls for deep reflection. Are the necessary resources available? Is the sustainability of family farming assured? Are collective marketing systems alive and well? Are structural initiatives continuing to emerge? Does the next generation of farmers have confidence in the future?

Each of these questions is relevant and deserves careful consideration. If the answer to most of them is yes, we must continue along the same path. If the answer is no, we must act, innovate, unite, and collectively change the course of events —preferably sooner rather than later.

This concern for the future is central to the mission of UPA Développement international (UPA DI), which, since 1993, has drawn on Quebec's agricultural values to support the development of a large number of rural communities around the world.  To do this, we pilot environmentally friendly projects that are transferable to future generations and designed to enhance food security and autonomy for populations.

Our local farmers can take pride in all these projects, as well as in the many forms of representation that UPA DI provides to numerous international organizations. Reading this annual report will surely convince you!

Hugo Beauregard-Langelier
Chief Executive Director

While many are content to believe that the future will be the same as the past or trying to revive an idealized version of the past, others are forging ahead, dreaming of a future they are building. For them, the future is not something that simply happens to us, but something shaped by the actions we take.

These dreams to be built and actions to be taken, have been central in the past year at UPA Développement international (UPA DI).  All this leading to the adoption of a new strategic plan, an opportunity to reflect on the mark UPA DI seeks to leave in the evolving landscape of agriculture and international solidarity.

Rooted in its history, engaged in the present, and ambitious towards the future, UPA DI's vision is for those who feed the world and inhabit our agricultural lands to live with dignity from the fruit of their labour. This vision is built on ecological economic growth, strong collective action, and the socio-economic empowerment of women.

But the realization of these aspirations will inevitably depend on young people, the next generation, who will live in a time where the potential for technological and social innovation has never been greater, yet crises have never been more frequent or severe.

If, as they say, history repeats itself, we must trust these young people who will feed us tomorrow to rise to the challenges they will face, just as our ancestors did before us. And if history repeats itself, UPA DI will be by their side to dream, innovate, and build a future driven by collective action, solidarity, equity, social justice, respect, and democracy.

Happy reading!

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