Research Bodies to Address Global Challenge on Food

Two universities and a major research provider are joining forces to position Scotland at the forefront of the global challenge to feed, sustainably, a growing world population.

 The Scottish Food Security Alliance - Crops draws together expertise from three leading research organisations - the Universities of Aberdeen and Dundee and the James Hutton Institute – to create a critical mass of internationally-recognised excellence in crop science, soil science, environmental modelling, and human nutrition.

The Alliance was formerly launched on 20 June, at The Royal Highland Show in Ingliston by the Chief Executive of Scotland Food & Drink, James Withers. Welcoming the initiative James said: "Food and drink is a national success story just now.  The industry has serious growth ambitions, looking to boost sales within the UK and double our exports over a ten-year period. 

"However, there are challenges in a fast-changing world.  How do we grow sustainably in a world of increasingly finite resource? As Scotland looks to produce more, with less resources, it has never been more important for our leading universities and research institutes to collaborate.  The Food Security Alliance is timely and exciting.  The food and drink industry needs armed with emerging science and understanding. With that, we'll play our part in rising to the food security challenge and, in so doing, secure economic success for Scotland too.”

Members of the Alliance will collaborate on research projects to enhance crop yield and optimise resources by integrating crop and soil science, improve nutritional quality and safety in the food chain, assess the impacts of farming on the environment, and harness the productive potential of diverse kinds of landscape.

More information is available at www.sfsa-crops.org