Rome – During the Future of Food Symposium, FAO and the University of Nottingham signed a partnership agreement, formalizing their intentions to work together across several areas related to FAO’s mandate.

The partnership will tackle policy issues related to the urban food agenda and physical access to healthy food, and will look for opportunities to strengthen governance and institutional empowerment in order to promote healthy eating for urban populations. 

The collaboration envisions dialogues both with the private sector, to create solutions for building balanced food systems and supplying healthy and sustainable foods, and between farmers and consumers, to establish short circuits for the commercialization of healthy foods.

Founded in 1881, the University of Nottingham seeks to develop global citizens and leaders who are reflective and capable, to make fundamental and transformative discoveries, to commit to excellence, business and social responsibility, and to improve industry, health and wellbeing, policy formation, culture and citizenship with purpose. 

The university’s Future Food Beacon of Excellence, one of six research programs funded by the university to solve today’s global challenges, addresses the problem of feeding a growing population in a changing world.

Dr. Richard Masterman, the University's Associate Pro-Vice Chancellor for Research Strategy, welcomed the partnership agreement. “The Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations is a leader in global efforts to defeat hunger,” he said. “It recognizes that innovation, underpinned by international collaboration, lies at the heart of meeting this challenge. Our Beacons of Research Excellence champion the University’s interdisciplinary responses to big challenges. It is therefore significant and hugely gratifying that FAO is recognizing the Future Food Beacon as a prospective partner.”

The Deputy Regional Representative of FAO for Latin America and the Caribbean, Eve Crowley, stressed that “the collaboration with the University of Nottingham is an important step to face FAO’s challenges, especially in the area of inclusive and efficient food systems. For this reason, we have great expectations for the Future Food Beacon of Excellence program.”