Developing the National Index on Agri-Food Performance pilot is the most recent work – known as phase 3 from May 2022 to May 2023. This report expresses the need for and advantage of a Canadian-made Index. It also outlines all projects undertaken in this phase. See Part 1 of the final report, What was achieved: Summary.
The pilot details the metrics for 20 indicators spanning four blocks of sustainability and identifies data limitations. The work also assesses the Index’s alignment with several existing global benchmarking initiatives for additional context. See Part 2, Index Pilot: Indicators and Metrics.
The work includes seven short interpretative papers on key Index findings. Selected indicators are profiled as well as commentaries on interpreting and designing the Index. Part 3, Seven Papers on Index Results includes the following papers:
This work laid the foundation for the Centre for Agri-Food Benchmarking to manage and evolve the Index going forward, starting in 2024.
The Index presents the criteria for measuring agri-food sector sustainability on a consolidated basis. (“Food sector” includes all supply chains stakeholders directly involved in agricultural production through to retail.)
It includes a suite of 20 metrics and 130 indicators. The intent is to paint a comprehensive view of sustainability – showing areas of leadership and shortcomings.
The partners have now produced the Index pilot and the measures. They have decided to house the Centre for Agri-Food Benchmarking with the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute. They have determined how the Centre will be governed and outlined the process needed to source data to improve the Index in the future.
The coalition is working on improving the National Index on Agri-Food Performance (see February 2024 Press Release).
The 2025 National Index Update provides an updated picture of Canada’s agri-food sustainability performance using the same set of indicators introduced in the 2023 pilot. This update applies the latest available data to the existing framework to show how Canada’s performance has evolved over time.
The objective is to maintain continuity and comparability with the pilot results, while ensuring that the Index reflects the most up-to-date evidence from trusted national sources.
The 2025 Update, therefore, represents a data refresh, a bridge between the 2023 pilot and the future Index 2.0, planned for release in 2026. It reaffirms the Index’s role as a credible, evidence-based tool to track Canada’s agri-food sustainability performance over time.
Read the 2025 National Index Update Report
To be a partner in advancing Canada’s first agri-food sustainability index, please contact:
Amanda Richardson
Interim Executive Director
National Index on Agri-Food Performance
info@agrifoodindex.ca