SLU joins global discussions to enhance nutrition-sensitive food systems

SLU researcher, Charlotte Berkström, was invited by the CGIAR Nutrition Impact Platform to participate and contribute to these events together with other academics and experts from the Global North and Global South.

The aims were to:

1. Understand and use available resources and platforms for capacity building in food systems transformation.

2. Explore opportunities to co-develop shared modules/resources/ summer school modules for building leadership in food systems transformation.

3. Explore opportunities to host post-graduate studies and internship programs through this South-South collaboration.

The CGIAR Impact Platform Director for Nutrition, Health and Food Security, Dr. Shakuntala Thilsted, is an Honorary Doctor at SLU. Collaboration between SLU and CGIAR partner WorldFish have resulted in joint funding and projects in Tanzania, Solomon Island and Timor-Leste focusing on nutrition, aquatic foods and climate change. The meeting in Sri Lanka allowed partners to further explore the role of nutrition in food systems transformation where aquatic foods have an important role.

Academics and experts from CGIAR Nutrition, Health & Food Security, WorldFish, Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), University of Copenhagen (Københavns Universitet), University of the West Indies, the University of Zambia (UNZA) and Sokoine University of Agriculture.

There is a growing interest in long-term capacity development and partnership around nutrition sensitivity among global actors coupled with the need of food system transformation to allow for economic, social, and environmental sustainability of Aquatic and Agri-Food Systems.

- We wish to build capacity in regions and countries where we work. It should be long-term, not project to project says Dr. Shakuntala.

Assoc. Prof. Charlotte Berkström agrees, and highlights that SLU can contribute by sharing knowledge, experience, and contacts from previous and on-going work on nutrition in both the Global South and Global North. Several departments at SLU are engaged in nutrition-related research both from Aquatic and Agri-Food systems.