Re-thinking Sustainable Food Systems
Date and time
Location
Thon Hotel EU
75 Rue de la Loi 1040 Bruxelles BelgiumDescription
Concerns continue to rise about the sustainability of food production methods and distribution, and the need to provide healthy nutrition for all. While climate and socio-economic change are important medium-term drivers of food systems, farmers, the food chain and the policy community are having to cope with shocks including extreme weather events, fluctuations in prices and impacts of conflict and political change. Improvements in scientific understanding, technologies and methods of knowledge exchange are helping to guide how current food systems can be re-engineered to become more resilient and sustainable: opportunities that can only be grasped through an interdisciplinary approach, bringing together the best minds of academia, industry and policy.
The White Rose Universities, Leeds, York and Sheffield, have a major research programme on sustainable soil management for intensive arable systems, developed in collaboration with farmers, plant breeders and the supply chain. The seminar will be an opportunity to learn more about the White Rose Sustainable Agriculture Consortium and international linkages and to join in the discussion on re-thinking sustainable food systems.
13.30 Registration and coffee
14.00 Welcome address, Phil Holliday (White Rose Brussels)
Keynote speech, Phil Hogan (Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development)
Introduction, Katherine Denby (University of York)
14.30 Session 1: Crop Production and Soil Security
Les Firbank (University of Leeds)
Jonathan Leake (University of Sheffield)
Thorunn Helgason (University of York)
Panel discussion with Nicolas Villacorta (Food 2030, DG RTD) chaired by Deborah Smith (Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research, University of York)
15.40 Coffee break
16.00 Session 2: Food Supply Chain Resilience, Food Consumption and International Partnerships
Bob Doherty and Tony Heron (University of York)
Peter Jackson (University of Sheffield)
Panel discussion with Thierry de l’Escaille (European Landowners’ Organisation) chaired by Deborah Smith
17.00 Wrap up and drinks reception
Organised by
Since 1997 the Universities of Leeds, Sheffield and York have built on their individual strengths by collaborating through the White Rose University Consortium to add value from partnership activity in research, enterprise, innovation and learning and teaching.
Working with a range of partners from the private and public sector, both in the UK and overseas, projects to the value of over £150 Million have been secured into the Universities.
As the Higher Education sector undergoes numerous changes and challenges, our commitment to creating exciting collaborations remains and we continuously seek new partners on a regional, national and international basis.