Expression of interest: transforming UK food systems for health and environment

Apply for funding to support interdisciplinary research into interventions that will transform the UK food system. Businesses, civil society and government (local, devolved or national) are all strongly encouraged to collaborate and co-design proposals.

Opportunity Details

When

Registration Opens

02/02/2021

Registration Closes

22/04/2021

Award

Funds of between £250,000 and £2 million (80% fEC) can be requested for projects of between two to three years. £14m total funding is available.

Organisation

BBSRC
Innovate UK

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Apply for funding to support interdisciplinary research into interventions that will transform the UK food system.

Your project should bring together elements from both of these areas:

  • production, processing, manufacturing, food environments
  • healthier diets and consumption.

Your project must be led by a UK- based researcher at a research organisation eligible for BBSRC funding or an eligible public sector research organisation.

Your project can be led by any discipline but must:

  • integrate both social and natural sciences
  • collaborate with at least one stakeholder organisation from government, business or civil society
  • address UK government priorities.

Your project can be supported for two to three years.

This funding is from the Transforming the UK Food Systems Strategic Priorities Fund programme.

Register on our online portal for access to a call webinar, networking events, Q&A sessions, stakeholder videos and a collaboration finder.

Researchers from any discipline within UKRI’s remit are encouraged to apply. All proposals to this call must be led by a researcher based at an eligible UK research organisation. As this call is being administered by BBSRC, please see the BBSRC grants guide (PDF, 378KB) for eligibility requirements. For co-investigator eligibility requirements see the grants guide (PDF, 378KB).

Businesses, civil society and government (local, devolved or national) are all strongly encouraged to collaborate and co-design proposals for this funding call. Whilst not eligible to lead on an application, or to receive direct funding from UKRI, it is a requirement that at least one stakeholder from businesses, civil society or government is included on each proposal as a project partner or sub-contractor. Detailed information about project partners and sub-contracting can be found in the BBSRC grants guide (PDF, 378KB).

The Transforming UK Food Systems SPF (Global Food Security programme website) is an interdisciplinary research programme that will help transform the UK food system within a global context by addressing two over-arching questions:

  1. If we put healthy people and a healthy natural environment at the heart of the food system, what would we eat, how would we encourage people to eat it, and where would that food come from? What would we grow and manufacture in the UK and what would we need to import?
  2. In delivering this transformed food system, what interventions would be needed across government, business and civil society?

This programme will consider the complex interactions between health, environment, economic and behavioural factors across the food system, while taking into account wider needs for different groups in society. The programme will foster a joined-up approach linking nutritionally healthy and accessible diets with sustainable food production and supply. It will deliver coherent evidence to enable concerted action from government, business and civil society to help achieve dietary health, obesity reduction and net zero emission goals.

We are inviting research proposals within three thematic areas:

  • Transforming food environments
  • Sustainable nutrition across the food system
  • Food imports and domestic production

If you would like advice on your proposal or help with finding a partner, contact KTN’s Agrifood team.

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