Annual Report 2023

For the vision of sustainable food systems to become a reality, existing structures, established practices, and cultural habits must be courageously changed. Applications of smart combinations of local knowledge and science-driven innovations in farming, industry, and policy are paramount. Furthermore, appropriate policy measures are needed to create incentives that promote awareness and willingness to adopt new behaviors in production and consumption.

At the World Food System Center, with its 46 members from different disciplines, we believe that we can only get closer to sustainable food systems if we strengthen the cooperation across the entire system. We try to support this process by establishing research programs with a wide range of partners. The aim is to incorporate the results of these programs into the decision-making processes of policy makers, practitioners, and industry. Overall, we at the World Food System Center align our activities in research, education, and outreach to reach these goals.

We are very pleased that in 2023 we were able, together with our partners, to start nine new projects in various fields using different tools, methods, and approaches. They all address key challenges in nutrition and sustainable agriculture. Over the next few years, these projects will produce results that we will discuss and further develop with various stakeholders. Our goal is to contribute to the translation of research results into reality.

We hope some activities highlighted in this report inspire you to engage with us in 2024.

Happy reading.

Robert Finger, Chair
Martijn Sonnevelt, Executive Director