Tino Dogo is committed to building sustainable systems to tackle climate change

Credit to Author: Ramya Ramanathan| Date: Tue, 15 Nov 2022 02:53:30 +0000

In 2018, Zimbabwe-born Tino Dogo moved to Canada to study biology with a minor in political science at the University of Manitoba. He brought with him dreams of changing the world for the better through setting up a social impact-driven business.

Dogo believes our world’s most pressing issue is climate change. As an elected student leader at the University, he leads sustainability campaigns and advises sustainability policy on campus and through the Manitoba Government Youth Advisory Council on Climate.

 He has co-founded Badaya, a carbon-neutral vertical farming initiative based out of Winnipeg, with the primary objective to balance adapting to the changing climate and mitigating further warming of our planet in agriculture. Dogo says he recognizes that industrial agriculture is particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, which threatens the stability of the food supply chain. Still in the development phase, the vision for Badaya is to grow and produce food vertically and hydroponically, housed in an energy-efficient growth building that uses renewable energies to sustain itself.

What brought you to Canada?

I came to Canada for a new, challenging experience as part of my university education. I chose the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg because of its reputation for world class education and research. Part of my decision in choosing Canada over another country was its friendly immigration policies and opportunities to stay after completing my degree.

What were your first impressions?

I started school in the winter semester, so my first taste of Canada was a cold, Winnipeg January. I remember my breath condensing in the cold outside. This was made up for by the friendly warmth of the people I met.

Is there a reason you picked Winnipeg?

In addition to its reputation for education and research, affordability at the University of Manitoba, and Winnipeg, influenced my decision. My best friend from high school also came to the University in the fall semester, so having someone I knew around was a big plus.

Tell us about your venture, Badaya.

We are interested in creating more sustainable systems. Right now, we’re focused on farming and the wider impact of Canadian agriculture on climate change. We want to both make farming a more sustainable practice and more resilient to the effects of climate change by creating indoor, vertical farming solutions. This summer, we had the incredible opportunity to complete the Press Start CoLab innovation accelerator program and that really helped us to make industry connections with fellow young innovators, and helped entrepreneurs to really hone in on our core vision for Badaya. We’re currently experimenting with an aeroponic tower garden in our apartment.

What inspires you?

The Montreal Protocol really inspires me; they identified CFCs [chlorofluorocarbons]and other ozone depleting chemicals to ban, which successfully reversed the damage to the ozone layer. I hope we can be a part of finding and implementing solutions that tackle really big environmental concerns facing our planet.

What challenges have you faced as an international student?

Although part of the reason I came to Canada was to have space to explore my own identity, I do still experience homesickness. Even with the time difference, technology has played a large part in helping because with just a phone call I can see and talk to my family. Adjusting to a different culture can sometimes be challenging but approaching everything with curiosity and an open mind transforms it into a fun learning experience.

What is your advice for other international students or youth moving to Canada?

Finding a community to feel connected with is an easy way to make new friends and helps with homesickness. I strongly encourage newcomers to try new things, even if they seem difficult. This helps with expanding your network and learning valuable lessons.

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