A historic bond between Quebec and FAO: 80 years of shared commitment to resilient and sustainable agriculture

Exactly 80 years ago, the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the UN (FAO) was founded at the Château Frontenac in Quebec City, on 16 October 1945. 

At that time, 44 nations came together with a common purpose: to build a world free from hunger and to support agricultural development. Eight decades later, that same spirit of cooperation continues to thrive between FAO and Quebec, now centred on today’s pressing challenges: climate change, biodiversity, and food security. 

This collaboration continues today through the 

Specifically, SAGA 2 assists the three partner countries in operationalizing their National Adaptation Plans for Agriculture (NAP-Agriculture), strengthening national expertise, and designing bankable projects to ensure targeted and sustainable investments. 

One-third of the SAGA 2 portfolio directly supports local communities and farmers in implementing their own climate solutions, generating income, protecting ecosystems, and improving food security. Women, who represent over 60 percent of participants, are the driving force behind these activities. Research and modelling carried out under SAGA 2 also provides reliable data on water resources, climate risks, and agroecological options. 

Building on the achievements of SAGA 1 (2018–2023), which established strong foundations in Senegal and Haiti through community-led pilot initiatives and strengthened climate governance, adaptation planning, and applied research, SAGA 2 scales up these efforts and extends the collaboration to Côte d’Ivoire. 

“The SAGA project perfectly embodies the vision we share with FAO: transforming agrifood systems to make them more sustainable, inclusive, and resilient for the benefit of the most vulnerable populations. This relies on partnerships among governments, ministries, researchers, universities, and civil society organizations to foster joint and coherent action,” said Ms. Laurence Fouquette-L’Anglais, Quebec’s Delegate in Italy. 

Video - Local solutions to climate change in Senegal: Capitalizing the results of the SAGA 2 project

Marking the 80th Anniversary 

To celebrate this symbolic milestone, Quebec’s Delegate in Italy took part in the inauguration of FAO’s MUNE, the Food and Agriculture Museum & Network, a new initiative celebrating the diversity of the world’s food and agricultural traditions. 

The Delegation of Quebec in Rome, celebrating its 60th anniversary in Italy this year, presented a gift box of Inuit herbal teas: a symbolic gesture that connects Quebec’s Indigenous knowledge with the innovation and sustainability driving the FAO–Quebec collaboration.

Interview with Ms. Laurence Fouquette-L’Anglais, Quebec Delegate in Rome 

A partnership that keeps growing stronger 

• 2017: International Symposium on Food Security and Climate Change in Quebec City, which led to the creation of the SAGA project.
• 2018–2023: SAGA 1, pilot phase in Haiti and Senegal.
• 2023–2027: SAGA 2, renewed funding from Quebec (USD 5 million) and expansion to Côte d’Ivoire.
• 2024: Symposium on Biodiversity, Agriculture and Food Security in Quebec City, co-organized with Université Laval and the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity. 

These initiatives reflect a shared vision: to strengthen international cooperation and accelerate the transformation toward more resilient, sustainable, and inclusive agrifood systems.