Funding helps fight food security
19 Aug 2016
Five research projects in the UK have been awarded a slice of £9 million to help strengthen the resilience of UK food systems and tackle global food security.
The projects are designed to integrate biological, environmental and social sciences to help ensure food security in the face of evolving worldwide markets and threats posed by pests and diseases, said the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), which helped fund the research programme.
The projects will also focus on increasing crop and livestock tolerance to weather, emerging diseases, price volatility and other environmental and social shocks, BBSRC added.
Supporting these exciting and innovative solutions will help the UK food industry be better prepared for external factors and help provide food security to millions around the world
Science Minister Jo Johnson
BBSRC chief executive Professor Welham said: “This investment will help ensure that the UK food system is primed to face challenges in a changing climate by building resilience at all levels.”
The funded projects are as follows:
- Increasing resilience to water-related risks in the UK fresh fruit and vegetable system
Lead PI: Dr Tim Hess, Cranfield University in collaboration with researchers from University of East Anglia, East Malling Research and University of Oxford – £1,3m - Resilience of the UK food system to Global Shocks (RUGS)
Lead PI: Professor Mark Rounsevell, The University of Edinburgh – £1m, in collaboration with researchers from SRUC - PIGSustain: Predicting the impacts of intensification and future changes on UK Pig Industry Resilience
Lead PI: Dr Lisa Collins, University of Lincoln, in collaboration with researchers from University of Reading, University of Leeds and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine – £2,1m - IKnowFood: Integrating Knowledge for Food Systems Resilience
Lead PI: Professor Bob Doherty, University of York – £3,4m, in collaboration with researchers from Universities of Manchester and Liverpool - Securing the future of the UK’s favourite fruit
Lead PI: Dr Daniel Bebber, University of Exeter, in collaboration with researchers from the University of Oxford – £1,2m
Speaking in response to the funding announcement, Science Minister Jo Johnson said: “From disease protection to improving management of global food shocks, these research projects will help tackle the serious threat of food shortages.
“Supporting these exciting and innovative solutions will help the UK food industry be better prepared for external factors and help provide food security to millions around the world.”
The second call for research proposals is now open and can be found on the Global Food Security website.
