As climatic conditions shift, key crops must face the challenges imposed by the weather’s new regime. Potatoes, one of our most beloved crops, are also highly sensitive to these changes.
Human activity has significantly altered the freshwater cycle. But is this change reversible, and if not, what does it mean for the future of food and water supplies?
What makes a great food system? Panellists at the City Food and Drink lecture this week argued that policy has a key role in health, food security, and sustainability.
Potassium deficiency in soil has been revealed as a major threat to livestock and agricultural farming. So what does this mean for global food security and can the current threat be reversed?
DEFRA is putting onions high on the agenda with a new research project aimed at detecting, managing and preventing onion crop loss to fusarium basal rot. So what’s the plan and what does it mean for farmers?
Research revealing bees’ ability to synthesise specific nutrients, to support the colonisation of their gut bacteria, offers insights into the symbiotic relationship they have with their gut microbiota. But changes to their habitat is placing this delicate...
Rice is one of the most important crops in sub-Saharan Africa. However, it is particularly at risk from disease. A new study has found that CRISPR technology can be used to edit genes in some strains of rice, developing resistance.
Lower income families often tend to have poorer outcomes when it comes dietary nutrition and obesity. A study of a low-income area in Birmingham, UK explored potential barriers to eating well.
Crop diversification is an important part of achieving nutrition security; the risks of reliance on a single crop are immense. Sub-Saharan Africa, suggests a new study in Nature Food, must diversify its crops to achieve food security by mid-century.
Vegetables grown indoors, without any soil, may not sound as appealing to consumers as their sun-blushed counterparts cultivated in open fields. But according to fresh research, they taste just as good.
From staple crops like potatoes and maize, to cash crops for wealthier customers like cocoa and coffee, climate change is having a widespread impact on global agricultural production.
Despite the ever-expanding presence of new agricultural land across the world, a lot of agricultural land is abandoned. Between 1992 and 2020, there were roughly 101 million hectares of cropland abandoned, an amount greater than the size of Egypt. A new...
Food insecurity is a major issue for everyone, but for diabetics, there is the added risk that it could lead to hypoglycaemia. According to new research, hypoglycaemia is twice as common among those who find it difficult to afford food as those who don’t....
While there are a wide range of edible crops in the world that have the potential to become part of our diets, humans tend to rely on only a tiny handful of them in large numbers. Could diversifying what we eat by introducing new crops to the global market...
Sustainable food consumption is a significant market in Europe. However, in urban South Africa, a new study suggests, meat consumption is a symbol of prosperity to a greater degree than in Europe, while conversely, those least concerned about environmental...
The world is not a stable place. Conflicts, both civil and international, as well as deglobalisation and the looming threat of climate change, are just some of the things that have the potential to radically disrupt the food system. At the City Food and...
On Monday 20 March, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released the final part of its Sixth Assessment Report. The report was clear about the catastrophic effect that climate change could have on the food supply worldwide, devastating agriculture...
Stakeholders across the food system – from farmers to CPG manufacturers – must embrace science and technology more deeply to better meet consumer demand for healthy, sustainable food choices and to reinforce supply chains and food security with climate-smart...
Arla Foods has signed a memorandum of understanding to continue its work on providing training and employment opportunities for the local dairy market, where commercial farming is under-developed and demand for milk is outstripping supply.
Aleph Farms aims to become the world’s first halal-certified cultivated meat producer, as it ramps up production capabilities for the commercial launch of its cultivated steak in Asia this year, while also laying eyes on global expansion.
Zimbabwean farmers are poised for greater yield and income gains as a result of a recent agricultural innovation breakthrough – the release of a new hybrid of white sorghum (great millet) that also promises greater resilience to erratic rainfall.
A coalition of 286 civil society organisations have come together to urge the European Commission to follow through on its plans to legislate for a more sustainable food system. The move, they say, is necessary in the face of ‘political resistance’ that...
Dr Tom Simmons, founder and CEO of The Supplant Company, spent a decade in academic research around waste reduction before turning his attention to create a high fibre sugar that cooks, bakes and caramelises just like traditional sugar, but with fewer...
The idea that ground-mounted solar panels compete with agricultural production for limited land resources has gained traction as the discourse around food and energy security has taken on fresh urgency. Does Agrivoltaics (AgPV), also known as dual-use...
As global food demand continues to grow and the industry explores ways to overcome food scarcity and secure the future’s food economy, cellular agriculture and fermentation are increasingly becoming a sought-after sustainable and functional solution.
Researchers have developed an innovative technology that enables the growth of “enriched seaweed” superfood infused with nutrients, proteins, dietary fibre, and minerals.
The United Nations will host its 27th Climate Change Conference in a matter of months. As leaders gear up for COP27 in Egypt, food industry experts want to see an increased focus on food system resilience and transformation. Here’s why.
Wheat is one of the most important grains in delivering basic nutrition globally. However, supply is inadequate. We hear from Senthold Asseng, Professor of Digital Agriculture at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), to learn more about the work an...
Fresh data from Mintel shows that consumers have become more concerned over the availability of food and water and the impact of climate change over the past year. Looking to 2023, resource efficiency – including how they spend their own money – will...
Across Europe, the summer of 2022 has been brutal. As the hot, dry summer days stretch on, should we be preparing for tighter supplies of fruit and veg?
Companies are exploring the potential of genetic engineering to boost the nutritional content, productivity and climatic adaptability of so-called orphan crops in the continent.
Infarm officially opened one of Europe’s largest vertical farming facilities in the UK last week. The investment is part of the company’s vision to help cities and countries become more self-sufficient in food production.
The G7 Leaders’ Communiqué might be high on rhetoric about Russia and the need for a green energy transition - but little was agreed to ease the pressure on food supply chains and avert a global food crisis, critics warn.
The global food price crisis will be the hot topic of discussion at the G7-World Bank food crisis meeting today and G7 Leaders’ Summit this weekend. Will action be taken to avert imminent catastrophe?
The strategy follows the independent review of the food system carried out last year by Henry Dimbleby, founder of upmarket fast food chain Leon. It puts a focus on home-grown food, including strengthening supply chains and boosting food production.
Ambitious UK vertical farmer Jones Food Company claims its new research centre will help the country end its reliance on the import of soft fruits, herbs and cut flowers within the next decade.
While ag-tech innovators are striving to power global food security improvements, international experts have warned their solutions could 'easily' fall victim to cyber attackers who want to disrupt food supplies.
Ag-tech start-up Better Origin wants to fix the broken food chain through its AI-powered insect ‘mini-farms’. The group has just completed a Series A funding round. FoodNavigator catches up with CEO Fotis Fotiadis to learn more about what the future holds.
The newly opened Future Seeds genebank is part of a network of research resources that, it is hoped, will help crop scientists future-proof the food system against climate change and other shocks. FoodNavigator learns more about this vital resource and...
The Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR), in partnership with the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), is on a mission to attract more private sector investment in the development of underutilised crops to feed an increasingly...
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has prompted calls for more heed to be paid to EU food security. But, as agriculture ministers discuss the possibility of putting more land to the plough, environmental experts warn that the debate is being ‘hijacked’ by...
Fresh warnings that conflict in Ukraine represents a threat to global food security land as European markets brace for spiking food prices and Unilever shares details on its response.
