How do we respond effectively to challenges including a rapidly growing population, changing consumption trends, finite land use, resource constraints, changing climate, globalised markets, and black swan events such as COVID-19 all of which impact on food and farming system security and supply chain resilience?

Background

We need research to develop a world-leading resilient food and farming system which enables the sector to grow and be more productive sustainably. Research and innovation will help champion trade of British food, produced to the highest environmental and animal welfare standards, in global markets. It will also maintain food safety, providing consumers with healthy, sustainable and affordable food choices.

Next steps

Get in touch with Research.Interests@defra.gov.uk

Source

This question was published as part of the set of ARIs in this document:

DEFRA Research and innovation interests GOVUK

Related UKRI funded projects

  • IKnowFood: Integrating Knowledge for Food Systems Resilience

    In this project we will support individuals and organisations across the food system to develop their knowledge of resilience. Producers, processors, manufacturers, retailers, policy makers and consumers will all have to...

    Funded by: BBSRC

    Why might this be relevant?

    This project aims to develop a resilient food system by investigating the nature of resilience and how it can be promoted in different components of the food system, which directly addresses the challenges mentioned in the question.

  • Resilience of the UK Food System in a global context - Programme Coordination

    Recent years have seen a significant interest in global and UK food security in policy, science and business circles, and in the more general press. Heightened by the 2007/08 food price crisis this is further driven by g...

    Funded by: BBSRC

  • CoCentre for Sustainable Food Systems

    Our current food system does not meet the economic, social and environmental requirements needed to generate food security and nutrition for all. The food system faces urgent and complex challenges. This affects us local...

    Funded by: ISPF

    Why might this be relevant?

    The project addresses the challenges of food security, climate impact, and sustainable food production, providing innovative solutions.

  • Resilience of the UK food system to Global Shocks (RUGS)

    The ability of the global food systems to rebound from shocks and in particular the resilience of the UK food system is the focus of this project. Growing populations, changing diets (in response to income changes) and b...

    Funded by: BBSRC

    Why might this be relevant?

    This project investigates the resilience of the UK food system to global shocks, which partially addresses the challenges mentioned in the question.

  • The local as a site of food security resilience in the times of pandemic: opportunities, challenges and ways forward.

    The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted on the UK's food systems, and disruptions are likely to continue. There is emerging evidence that the local food sector (local food producers and their supply chains) can ...

    Funded by: COVID

  • Sustainable Food Production System

    The United Kingdom aims to reach its carbon neutral target by 2050, and all sectors have started planning and implementing strategies to achieve this goal. The food production industry is responsible for approximately 26...

    Funded by: Innovate UK

  • Sustainable Food Production System

    The United Kingdom aims to reach carbon neutral target by 2050, and all sectors have started planning and implementing strategies to achieve this goal. The food production industry is responsible for approximately 26% of...

    Funded by: Innovate UK

  • Flexifarm - Improving the Resilience of the Food System

    FlexiFarm is a project aiming to increase the resilience of the important first link in the global food chain, primary growers. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need through empty shelves, shortages of food item...

    Funded by: Innovate UK

  • Food Quality and Health - Sustaining the Future

    Demand for food is changing because of population growth, changing diets and increasing affluence. Food production is under increasing pressure as water and other natural resources become scarcer and competition for the ...

    Funded by: BBSRC

  • Achieving Ecological Resilient Dynamism for the European food system through consumer-driven policies, socio-ecological challenges, biodiversity, data-driven policy, sustainable futures

    The ECO-READY project will develop a real-time surveillance system, an Observatory offered as an e-platform and as a mobile application. This will function as the necessary singular source of information, provide real-ti...

    Funded by: Horizon Europe Guarantee

Similar ARIs from other organisations

Regulating the Changing Food System What interventions can a food regulator make across the food system to encourage healthier and/or more sustainable food? Food Standards Agency, 2024
See details