Today, society faces two significant and interconnected challenges. On one hand, diet-related Non-Communicable Diseases (e.g., diabetes) are placing an immense burden on healthcare systems. On the other hand, the climate crisis continues to escalate, with food production and consumption patterns acting as catalysts. In other words, food systems are not only contributing to climate change but also act as a key factor in public health. Addressing these challenges requires a synergetic approach, one that aligns research, policy, innovation, and funding mechanisms across multiple, relevant domains.
HDHL Food4Health Kick-off meeting in Paris
The team from the Institute for Development and Innovation has joined the consortium of 11 partners from 9 countries to address the aforementioned challenges through the HDHL Food4Health project. The meeting in Paris, hosted by France’s National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment, has marked the beginning of a shared commitment to shaping a healthier and more sustainable society. During the sessions, partners have explored Synergies between particular project tasks, engaged in preliminary stakeholder mapping activities, identified data collection needs, and elaborated the project’s strategic framework.
Aligning Research and Innovation in Nutrition, Health, and Sustainability
The HDHL F4H project is designed to foster collaboration between national and European research initiatives, ensuring that initiatives to combat Non-Communicable Diseases and climate change are aligned. With a €2.4 million grant, this project is bringing together leading researchers, policymakers, and stakeholders from the nutrition, health, and sustainability sectors.
At its core, the project focuses on several objectives:
- Improving alignment between funding mechanisms and the needs of researchers, policymakers, and industry;
- Bridging the gap between research and policy to ensure that research results translate into actionable policy recommendations;
- Aligning the European and national R&I efforts;
- Fostering collaboration and knowledge-sharing by connecting key stakeholders.
- Empowering early career researchers.
HDHL F4H project is funded by the European Commission through the Horizon Europe programme.
Photo: HDHL