I’ll be a panellist on Farmers Guardian’s live web discussion, answering all your questions about the Schmallenberg virus. Join the discussion on Friday, February 10 from 1pm.OFC '10: Government science strategy launched
THE Government’s chief scientific adviser has launched a new science strategy designed to help improve the security and sustainability of the UK’s food system.
The strategy, launched by Professor John Beddington at the Oxford Farming Conference today (Wednesday, January 6), will aim to ensure research into various elements of food production is better co-ordinated across the scientific community.
The strategy is intended to feed into the new Government food strategy, Food 2030, launched by Defra Secretary Hilary Benn on Tuesday (January 5).
The Food and Innovation Research Strategy provides an overarching framework across the UK Government and Devolved Administrations.
It will be overseen by a Food Research Group (FRG), including representatives from the Devolved Administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, which will provide leadership in addressing the issues set out in the Strategy, and will oversee its implementation.
Key initiatives highlighted in the Strategy include:
- A new multi-partner food security research programme, co-ordinated by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC). Key aims include strengthening research coordination and partnerships, building a more integrated community of researchers, funders and users to provide multi-disciplinary research to ensure a sustainable and secure food system.
- A new Technology Strategy Board Innovation Platform, co-funded by Defra and BBSRC with up to £90m over five years, to fund innovative technological research and development in areas like crop productivity, sustainable livestock production, waste reduction and management, and greenhouse gas reduction.
- A doubling of research investment in agriculture by the Department for International Development (DFID) to £80m/year by 2013 to provide farmers in developing countries with access to technologies and help national governments develop more effective agricultural policies.
- A major Foresight study looking at the ability of global food systems to feed a future world population of 9 billion healthily and sustainably.
- A new BBSRC Advanced Training Partnership scheme to provide specialist high level training to meet industry needs.
Professor Beddington said with pressures on our food system set to ‘increase sharply’, there are real challenges ahead for policy makers, researchers and the food industry.
“The UK must draw on the strengths in its science base and in industry to meet these challenges, and to exploit the opportunities for innovation and new markets that exist,” he said.
“A critical element will be strengthening partnerships across organisational boundaries and sectors to address social, environmental, health or economic factors.”
