Resource-smart food production and consumption

The current Food Supply Chain system based on the linear supply chain operating model is unquestionably unsustainable. In the linear FSC, raw materials are extracted from the land and subsequently processed into final products, which are consumed by people or discarded as waste.

Waste food is often disposed to landfills, mostly with little or no recovery of the products and/or embedded materials. Recently, the concept of the Circular Economy (CE) has emerged in food supply chains due to the need for organisations to become more sustainable. CE is an alternative to the traditional linear economy (make, use, dispose) in which resources are kept in use for as long as possible, the maximum value is extracted from them whilst in use, then recovery and regeneration of products and materials occurs at the end of each service life.

Research aims

The purpose of our research is to advocate for food system approaches to tackle the inherent links between ecosystems, food production, the food chain and consumer health and wellbeing.

Our research aims to:

• deliver diverse and healthy food
• increase resource efficiency and environmental performance of food systems from primary production to consumers
• understand the impact of climate change on agriculture, resources, food quality and identify options to manage its effects
• reduce greenhouse gas emissions and emissions of air pollutants from land use and food production considering main drivers such as inputs and consumption patterns

Our activities will contribute to creating the conditions for dynamic and innovative farming and food sectors that manage to turn high-quality products and high environmental standards into a competitive advantage. They will help to ensure food production under future, increasingly uncertain, environmental conditions and move towards resource-smart, climate-smart and "eco-healthy" production and consumption. The activities will contribute to the focus area on climate-resilient future and the "Circular Economy".

Our research supports the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), SDG 2 'Zero Hunger' and SDG 12 'Responsible consumption and production'.