Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I want to thank the witnesses for being here.
Before I begin, I want to echo Ms. McPherson's comments that it is very unfortunate that a Conservative member moved a concurrence debate on a report from this committee during our committee time. We do know that concurrence debates are absolutely appropriate. However, the Conservatives have presented hundreds of motions on concurrence. They could have chosen any one other than our report on Ukraine while we were attempting to follow up in good faith with a Conservative member of this committee on a study on fuel and food.
I think it's very disturbing that we're not able to have our full committee. I know that it especially affects smaller parties. Mr. Bergeron is in the House now. That is where he should be, because he's trying to debate from his party's perspective, but it's not fair to our committee, where we're continuing a study on Ukraine.
That said, I want to thank you, Dr. Webb, for your testimony. Honestly, I think you're one of the most inspiring witnesses we've had in a long time on any committee. I want more time with you. Just be aware that I may contact you to get more information from you.
I think what we're looking at is a complex web of issues that create food insecurity. I am still trying to work these out in my head, whether it is the war in Ukraine—the illegal invasion by Russia in Ukraine—which has displaced both agriculture production and transport, or population growth, climate change and yields, or all of those things that are contributing to the many issues that have placed food security at risk for hundreds of million of people on our planet.
What I want to ask you about is not the export of food grains and other foods so much as the export of that innovation and technology that you were talking about. It would seem to me, or I've long held the belief, that Africa has the ability to feed itself if we have appropriate technology and innovation on yields, nutrition and the sorts of crops that would be best employed in Africa and other places in the world.
What can we be doing to take that innovation that you, very rightly, are proud of in the Canadian agricultural industry and to export it around the world so that we are able to increase food security everywhere?