Title: An integrated approach to the challenge of sustainable food systems: adaptive and mitigatory strategies to address climate change and malnutrition.
Funding source: ERA-HDHL, JPI-OCEANS and FACCE-JPI project.
Implementation period: 1.07.2020.–30.06.2023.
Coordinator: Ghent University (Belgium).
Latvian partners: Baltic Studies Centre, Riga Stradins University (Department of Internal Diseases / Nutritionist division)
Securing sufficient and healthy food for all, while minimizing environmental impact is the great challenge we face already today. Local production limits and global trade challenge equal access to food. With climate change increasingly affecting food production in areas, which are already disadvantaged, unprecedented population (especially in urban and coastal areas) and income growth and deterioration of usable land, these challenges will intensify. We need a holistic approach to transform the global food production system with the ability to adapt to regional necessities. The SYSTEMIC network (an integrated approach to the challenge of sustainable food systems: adaptive and mitigatory strategies to address climate change and malnutrition) will bring together scientists and practitioners from different disciplines and expertise on different parts of the food system to explore cross-cutting solutions, identify knowledge gaps and develop pathways for a food system transformation, which is climate-resilient and able to cope with societal challenges. While the information on policies and technologies that would enhance productivity and sustainability of individual agricultural sectors is available to some extent, literature is practically devoid of information and experiences for countries and communities considering a comprehensive approach (cross-sectoral policies, strategies, and technologies) to sustainable food and agriculture. This project is the first effort to fill this gap, providing information on proven options and opportunities that provides sustainable, resilient, and nutritional food from both land and sea. The SYSTEMIC project idea is based on researchers from 42 research groups working in eight countries by creating a network for a better understanding of food and nutrition security in a changing environment. National and transnational collaboration in R&D projects together with the transfer of knowledge and technology are the major aim of the research teams working in this project. SYSTEMIC is a three years project working on seven interrelated working packages and case studies. SYSTEMIC will develop a joint vision for the development of an integrated food system for continuous improvement in sustainability at production, consumption, and public health. The project involves contributing towards the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): (2) zero hunger, (3) good health and well-being, (12) responsible consumption and production, (13) climate action, and (17) partnerships to achieve the goals.
SYSTEMIC will:
- Assess current technologies on their feasibility to address the food challenges;
- Develop methods to assess trade-offs in support of decision and policy making;
- Identify knowledge gaps and research needs to funding agencies and governments;
- Disseminate knowledge to industry, society, and policy, and develop and collate education and training tools.
http://systemic-hub.eu/
The project SYSTEMIC “An integrated approach to the challenge of sustainable food systems: adaptive and mitigatory strategies to address climate change and malnutrition", Knowledge hub on Nutrition and Food Security, has received funding from national research funding parties in Belgium (FWO), France (INRA), Germany (BLE), Italy (MIPAAF), Latvia (IZM), Norway (RCN), Portugal (FCT), and Spain (AEI) in a joint action of JPI HDHL, JPI-OCEANS and FACCE-JPI launched in 2019 under the ERA-NET ERA-HDHL (n° 696295).