Welcome to the Food Systems Policy Hub

It’s essential that our wide-ranging food systems research has real world impact. In order to achieve this, we have developed the N8 AgriFood Food Systems Policy Hub.

We take a food systems approach, which combines expertise from across the N8 universities to inform policy at local, national and international levels, creating change to tackle the various challenges within the food system.

Below you’ll find:

• An update on our most recent policy work.
• A few words from Professor Bob Doherty, our Food Systems Policy Hub Director.
• An overview of the food systems approach we take.

You can also visit our Influencing policy page to read more about our work. If you’re interested in getting involved, please contact policy@n8agrifood.ac.uk

Our most recent policy work

From the Food Systems Policy Hub Director…

In the summer of 2019, we ran a policy focus week, designed to celebrate and support successful policy engagement across N8 AgriFood. This provided a platform for us to establish the N8 AgriFood Food Systems Policy Hub, where we are now further extending our ambitions to provide valuable and credible evidence to influence policy and practice.

Traditionally, challenges in food production, supply and consumption have been studied and tackled in isolation – and critically, at a national level. Responsibility for policy within these areas is distributed across different ministries and departments. There is now a growing recognition that effective change requires us to consider the overarching food system including food production, processing, distribution and consumption.

N8 AgriFood is in an ideal position to take this approach, by drawing upon our expertise across the 8 institutions to bring valuable contributions to the policy community and beyond. Below you can read more about our approach. We will be having an official launch in November 2020. Keep an eye on our social media channels and here for further information.

Professor Bob Doherty, Food Systems Policy Hub Director

Taking a food systems approach

Taking a food systems approach allows us to capture the multiple environmental and socioeconomic drivers that impact food systems and explore how these drivers interact to deliver outcomes.

In addition, we aim to enable a broader understanding of the impacts of specific policy goals.

We’ve established an international reputation for tackling problems across the food system by developing solutions co-designed with stakeholders. Through working in partnership, we:

– Carry out research which provides knowledge and evidence to inform and change policy at local, national and international levels.

– Collaborate with businesses to influence food systems practice.

– Support our academics across the N8 universities to develop their capacity to impact food policy.

 

Latest news and events from the Food Systems Policy Hub