Partnering for agriculture and food systems research

The environmental basis for food and agricultural production is facing unprecedented strain from phenomena such as climate change, deterioration of soil quality, resource scarcity, and emerging pests and pathogens. Building more sustainable food production systems and consumption patterns is among the key challenges for our society.

To support real-world solutions to these challenges, the World Food System Center at ETH Zurich and Nestlé join forces to establish a new Agriculture and Food Systems Research Program. This program aims to improve sustainability of agriculture and food systems, to support human and environmental health, and to create value for all stakeholders of the food system. Research focus areas include reduction of greenhouse gases in dairy farming, agriculture production for climate change mitigation, agronomy for improved yield and nutrition, and food innovation for plant-based meat, seafood and dairy alternatives.

To start this new program, Nestlé has provided ETH Zurich with 2.8 million Swiss francs of research funding to support interdisciplinary projects in the outlined focus areas of agriculture and food systems. The program is structured around annual calls that will fund projects of 2 to 4 years duration, with a maximum budget of 400’000 Swiss Francs per project. The first call opens 15 February 2021, and the funding is available to any member of the World Food System Center.

Building on existing collaborations

This program further strengthens ETH Zurich’s research partnership with Nestlé in agricultural and food sciences. In 2019, the external page Future Food Initiative was launched, with Nestlé as a founding partner. This initiative focuses on bringing exceptionally qualified young researchers to Switzerland who propose projects targeting future food issues, such as nutrition, production, packaging, and digital health.

Joël Mesot, president of ETH Zurich, is delighted about the intensified partnership with Nestlé: “We are looking forward to continuing a long tradition of collaborations with Nestlé as a trusted partner. Only by working together across disciplines and sectors will we be able to provide sustainable and secure food in the long term.”

Stefan Palzer, Nestlé CTO, said: “We’re delighted to extend our longstanding collaboration with ETH Zurich – one of the world’s leading academic institutions – to the agricultural sciences, to reduce the carbon footprint of agricultural raw materials. The development of more climate-friendly ingredients and products is a key focus area for Nestlé to help reduce our global carbon footprint.”