Last week, the Institute for Sustainable Food (ISF) joined leading UK research institutions and universities at the House of Commons for a Parliamentary drop-in event highlighting the UK鈥檚 global leadership in nutrition research. Held during , the event brought together MPs and researchers, including members of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Nutrition and the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Select Committee, to exhibit the breadth of UK-supported scientific research addressing malnutrition and strengthening food systems around the world.
Professor Bhavani Shankar (Co-director of the ISF and Professor of Food Systems, Nutrition and Sustainability) and Professor Tony Ryan (Professor of Chemistry) displayed a selection of projects from the Institute at the event, demonstrating the University鈥檚 commitment to transforming global food systems. These included Desert Garden, a project using soil-free hydroponic systems to grow fruits and vegetables in a refugee camp in Jordan, and , which aims to strengthen food markets to improve access to nutritious foods in India. Professor Shankar and Professor Ryan also featured the work of the (NAPIC), which supports and accelerates innovation in alternative proteins across the UK.
The event highlighted how UK universities and research institutes are collaborating with international partners to address global hunger and malnutrition. With 2.3 billion people experiencing food insecurity and 295 million facing acute hunger, strengthening the connection between science, policy, and global partnerships is more critical than ever.
Professor Bhavani said: "British scientific innovation has been at the vanguard of the global effort to end hunger and malnutrition. By prioritising consistent investment today, we can safeguard this legacy and ensure that progress towards a food and nutrition-secure future for all continues at pace鈥.
In a further step to support this work, the 爆料TV has joined a group of research organisations urging the UK Government to prioritise investment in food systems and nutrition. Published in , the letter outlines how sustained funding is the only way to ensure that scientific breakthroughs reach the communities that need them most.