N8 AgriFood is a £16M interdisciplinary programme addressing global challenges in food security that span sustainable food production, resilient food supply chains, and improved nutrition and consumer behaviours.
The programme is a new five-year partnership spanning the eight most research intensive universities in the north of England, including Lancaster University.
“Creating a sustainable, resilient food system that supplies adequate healthy nutritious food for all is a major challenge of our times,” says Jess Davies, lecturer at the Pentland Centre for Sustainability in Business, who participates in N8 AgriFood as Lancaster University’s representative for resilient supply chain research.
“It’s critical that scientists across the supply chain, from farm to fork, collaborate with businesses, governments and civil society to find solutions that are sustainable for our planet, society and economies.
“It was brilliant to see this in action at the launch, with the likes of Sainsbury’s, PepsiCo, HSBC, DEFRA, and the National Farmers Union coming together with a multitude of scientists to discuss ways forward.
“The Pentland Centre’s core purpose is to bring science and business together to co-design sustainable solutions from square one, and as such we’re very proud to be a part of this programme.”