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At a recent seminar, Chris Barrett put current food security challenges into perspective for us. He shared why we should embrace the urgency of hunger, but reject the alarmism of the phrase a “looming food catastrophe.” He commented that we do face challenges, but there will be a food catastrophe only if we fail to heed the signals that are before us. He claimed these challenges are formidable but manageable.
Several past food security crises show the various scientific and societal innovations that successfully helped in recoveries. But Chris Barrett also mentioned how learnings from unintended consequences of these successes should shape actions today.
We at the World Food System Center will continue to strive to create pathways for food system transformation while trying to heed the learnings of the past. We thank Chris for his poignant yet positive words.
Kind regards,
Jeanne Tomaszewski
and the World Food System Center Team |
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| Center News |
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Science on Your Plate
The exhibition Science on Your Plate/Forschung zum Aufessen took visitors on the journey of our food. At the Mühlerama Museum for Food Culture, different stops along the way focused on how the cultivation, processing and consumption of food affects the environment and our health. When we reflect on the paths our food takes, we can better see the complexity and the many people involved. The exhibition also presented how each consumer has a part to play in creating sustainable food systems.
With an opening celebration, cooking events and tours with researchers, the exhibition became a place for lively exchange as well as discovery. We thank all the member groups who made this exhibtion a success! And thanks to all who came to visit. |
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| ETH Podcast: A talk about how far food travels before reaching our plates |
| Before it reaches our plates, the food we eat usually has travelled a long way. In this episode of the ETH podcast, we talk about how far a breakfast travels and the resulting political and ecological significance. Chair of the World Food System Center Professor Robert Finger and ETH researcher, lecturer and outreach coordinator Kenza Benabderrazik speak about the many layers of the system that feeds people around the globe. |
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| Voices of the World Food System Center |
In this series, voices of the members groups of the Center come to life in interviews. Professors, researchers and staff all get a chance to share their stories and hopes for the future of the Center.
I have only good memories: Nina Buchmann and Michael Siegrist look back on their time as Chair of the World Food System Center. From it founding with 25 members and subsequent growth, both reflect on the relevance of food systems research. |
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| New Member |
| Eva-Marie Meemken leads the newly formed Food Systems Economics and Policy Group in the ETH Zurich Department of Environmental Systems Science. Her group conducts applied research that contributes to a better understanding of how to promote sustainability goals in global food systems. A special focus lies on the analysis of policies and institutional arrangements and their role in poverty reduction, decent employment, gender equality, and food and nutrition security in lower-income countries. |
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| Research |
| Science Stories are Back! |
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| This month, we presented new films focused on innovative food systems research going on at ETH Zurich. From Speeding up bean breeding to Enhancing smallholder farmers' climate resilience, the films span the food system. The researchers introduce a poultry feed alternative from insects and as well as how different cropping systems are suited to increasing drought. Watch all the videos on our YouTube Channel! |
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| Smart Sustainable Farming |
In October 2021, the Center and the fenaco cooperative launched a joint research initiative at the interface of agriculture, sustainable production systems, robotics and artificial intelligence. The first project has now been funded, focusing on the predictive power of smartphone imaging to increase sustainability of crop production.
Achim Walter, Professor of Crop Science at ETH Zurich, comments, "Visualizing the development of crops is important to quantify how they react to their environment. The project will help utilizing the power of science for real-life challenges." |
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| Flagship Project Enhancing Resilience in Food Systems |
The RUNRES (Rural-Urban Nexus: Establishing a nutrient loop to improve city-region food system Resilience) team in South Africa has established new partnerships to build an agroecology lab where farming cooperatives from across the province can come and learn about regenerative agriculture. The platform will be linked to nutrient recycling, eco-sanitation initiatives and small-scale processing. The hub aims to improve the resilience of smallholder production of the KwaZulu Natal region.
In Rwanda, the on-going research of doctoral student Melanie Surchat led to a Photovoice Exhibition at the Swiss Development Cooperation in Bern. In this context, RUNRES seeks to support companies that are trying to recycle organic waste into fertilizers and animal feeds. The doctoral research focuses on the social sustainability of these innovations, by adopting the viewpoint of those who are working in the circular bioeconomy. |
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| Education |
| Summer School returns to Rheinau, Switzerland |
| The World Food System Center organizes yearly summer schools focused on the challenges, opportunities and innovations in food systems. Each two-week, intensive program brings together 25 students who are selected in a competitive admissions process from a wide range of disciplines and nationalities. For our 10th summer school, we will return to one of Switzerland’s largest and oldest organic farms: Gut Rheinau. Participants will be immersed in a sustainable, socially integrative food system. We look forward to welcoming the students this August. |
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| Outreach |
| Food Security Strategies for a Changing World |
| Food system economist Prof. Chris Barrett joined guests at ETH Zurich to share his research and insight into food security challenges. At the seminar, Prof. Barrett commented we should embrace the urgency of failing food security but reject the alarmism of describing a looming food catastrophe. For the audience at ETH Zurich and online, he focused on how successful transformation of our food system will require the combination of accelerated technological change with a range of policy, institutional and cultural innovations. We thank Chris Barrett for sharing his insights and all the guests for their engagement. |
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Upcoming Events
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| Challenges for Sustainable Pest Management |
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| A discussion event
08 August 2022
At this discussion event at ETH Zurich, a consortium of interdisciplinary experts from agronomy, agroecology, human toxicology, ecotoxicology and agricultural economics and policy is on-hand to discuss with you. Each will present their views on current challenges in pest management and their ideas for paths forward. The floor is then open for discussion with all experts, around small tables and with refreshment. |
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Farming Days
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| Special event at Swiss Museum of Transport
2-4 September 2022
Science on Your Plate is on the move! Meet us at the Swiss Museum of Transport (Verkehrshaus der Schweiz) in Luzern. We are happy to join fenaco at Farming Days. The outdoor event allows visitors to experience today's Swiss agriculture and food industry first hand. Meet farmers, see innovative work tools, explore careers in agriculture, and -with us- learn about Food of the Future. Innovative research from ETH Zurich and Eawag will be on display. |
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| Food Day @ETH |
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| Celebrating Collaboration
11 November 2022
To celebrate our 10 Years of work, our annual public research symposium will be expanded to a half-day event. Workshops, poster sessions, and panel discussions will focus on the importance of collaborative and participatory approaches in food systems research. Save the date! |
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| From May through November, several events for our members and the public will celebrate 10+ Years of Collaboration at the World Food System Center and bring all together to discuss continuing challenges in our food system. Find out more: https://worldfoodsystem.ethz.ch/celebrate.html |
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| Member Highlights |
The Subsurface Environmental Processes Group is currently teaching the course Monitoring and remediation of contaminated soils and groundwater at the Universidad Nacional de Colombia in Bogota.
The ETH Zurich Inagural Lecture of Mutian Niu focused on Role of nutrition in sustainable livestock farming (video).
The ETH Farewell Lecture of Wilhelm Gruissem was entitled Grundlagenforschung und Gentechnik mit Pflanzen – 40 years of facts and fiction (video).
Christian Andres shares stories from cocoa farmers in Ghana in ETH Zurich Ambassadors blog. He talked with the farmers about changing to agroforestry systems on their plantations.
The association Agroecology Works! was officially founded in March with members from all over Switzerland, including Johanna Jacobi as a board member.
Nina Buchmann spoke at the University of Bayreuth Biology Lecture in June, focusing on the response of meadows, fields, and forests to climate change and land use.
As part of the Open Week Education in the framework of the 150 Year Anniversary of Agricultural Sciences at ETH Zurich, two classes from the Hohe Promenade High School attended the Grassland Sciences Group workshop On the trace of stable isotopes from grass to milk.
The Swiss Citizens' Assembly for Food Policy has had a successful starting weekend in June in Olten, accompanied by research for three Master's theses in the Agroecological Transitions Group led by Johanna Jacobi.
Exciting new interdisciplinary projects
The SNSF Eccellenza project Does Food Democracy Matter? of Johanna Jacobi was kicked-off in Bukavu, DR Congo and Rio, Brazil. It will investigate power relations, decision-making and ecological "foodprints" in coffee- and soybean-based value chains.
The project Understanding drivers and origins of N2O fluxes in agroecosystems aims to identify the best N management options for climate-smart agriculture. It is collaboration of the Grassland Sciences Group of Nina Buchmann, Empa and Agroscope.
An interdisciplinary team of scientists and urban designers led by the National University of Singapore and the Singapore-ETH Centre, in collaboration with ETH Zurich and the Nanyang Technological University Singapore, aims to develop a blueprint to integrate food waste management and sustainable food production in urban settings like Singapore using tropical black soldier flies. Alexander Mathys and Moritz Gold are collaborators.
The Participatory Citizens' Academy of ETH and UZH funds a new project led by Johanna Jacobi titled Setting up a Living Lab for Urban Agroecology in the City of Zurich. The project will develop and test a participatory approach to promote agroecological planning and management of urban and peri-urban green spaces.
Awards and Distinctions
Sergei Schaub received the Hans Vontobel Prize for an outstanding Doctoral Thesis in Agricultural Sciences, entitled Economic Perspective on Grasslands, Biodiversity and Weather Extremes.
Julia Baumgartner was awarded the ETH Medal Award 2022 for Outstanding Master Thesis for her work, Simulation-based Characterization of a Pulsed Electric Field System, mentored by Alexander Mathys.
The University of Utah School of Biological Sciences honored Nina Buchmann with the Distinguished Alumni Award 2022.
Greta Canelli was presented the American Oil Chemists' Society AOCS Processing Division Student Excellence Award 2022 for her work, Microalgae lipid processing and biotechnology.
In the News
Pioneer Fellowship of Lukas Böcker and Severin Eder featured in ETH News in July: Plant-based prawns to protect the marine environment.
An interactive feature in the Swiss Tages Anzeiger focused on alternatives to meat from across Switzerland. More sustainable options included were insects, cultured meat and algae, with research from Alexander Mathys highlighted.
Robert Finger shared his opinion on how Swiss agriculture can achieve goal of reducing risks associated with the use of crop protection products by 50% by 2027 in editorial in Swiss Tages Anzeiger.
 ETH Zukunftsblog
Under the topic of sustainability, many of our members post regular contributions to this science blog hosted by ETH Corporate Communications. Read the recent features on how consumer choice can bring about change by Achim Walter and reducing poverty and inequality by Adina Rom.
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| Food Systems Publications |
| Recent publications from WFSC members that highlight their work on food system topics: |
| • | | Arndt, C.; et al. Full adoption of the most effective strategies to mitigate methane emissions by ruminants can help meet the 1.5 °C target by 2030 but not 2050. 2022. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2111294119 |
| • | | Bucheli, J.; et al. Temperature effects on crop yields in heat index insurance. 2022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodpol.2021.102214 |
| • | | Canelli, G.; et al. A novel strategy to simultaneously enhance bioaccessible lipids and antioxidants in hetero/mixotrophic Chlorella vulgaris as functional ingredient. 2022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2022.126744 |
| • | | Chen, C.; et al. Dietary change and global sustainable development goals. 2022. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2022.771041 |
| • | | Delbrück, A. I.; et al. Moderate high-pressure superdormancy in Bacillus spores: properties of superdormant spores and proteins potentially influencing moderate high-pressure germination. 2022. https://doi.org/10.1128/aem.02406-21 |
| • | | Ehlers, M. H., et al. Senarios for European agricultural policymaking in the era of digitalisation. 2022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2021.103318 |
| • | | Finger, R.; et al. The (in)stability of farmer risk preferences. 2022. https://doi.org/10.1111/1477-9552.12496 |
| • | | Finger, R.; et al. The adoption of pesticide-free wheat production and farmers’ perceptions of its environmental and health effects. 2002. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2022.107463 |
| • | | Green, A.; et al. The role of alternative proteins and future foods in sustainable and contextually-adapted flexitarian diets. 2022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tifs.2022.03.026 |
| • | | Heuel, M. Black soldier fly larvae meal and fat as a replacement for soybeans in organic broiler diets: Effects on performance, body N retention, carcass, and meat quality. 2022. https://doi.org/10.1080/00071668.2022.2053067 |
| • | | Heuel, M.; et al. Feeding value of black soldier fly larvae compared to soybean in methionine- and lysine-deficient laying hen diets. 2022. https://doi.org/10.3920/JIFF2021.0178 |
| • | | Huber, R.; et al. Economic value of three grassland ecosystem services when managed at the regional and farm scale. 2022. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-08198-w |
| • | | Jacobi, J; et al. Transdisciplinary co-creation increases the utilization of knowledge from sustainable development research. 2022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2021.12.017 |
| • | | Keller, M.; Effects on performance, carcass and meat quality of replacing maize silage and concentrate by grass silage and corn-cob mix in the diet of growing bulls. 2022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2022.108795 |
| • | | Liu, Y.; et al. Severe drought rather than cropping system determines litter decomposition in arable systems. 2022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2022.108078 |
| • | | Liu, Y.; et al. Using PhenoCams to track crop phenology and explain the effects of different cropping systems on yield. 2022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2021.103306 |
| • | | MacLaren, C.; et al. Long-term evidence for ecological intensification as a pathway to sustainable agriculture. 2022. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41893-022-00911-x |
| • | | Merz, Q.M.; et al. Relationship of leaf elongation rate of young wheat leaves, gross primary productivity and environmental variables in the field with hourly and daily temporal resolution. 2022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agrformet.2022.108902 |
| • | | Meyer U.N.; et al. Enzyme kinetics inform about mechanistic changes in tea litter decomposition across gradients in land-use intensity in Central German grasslands. 2022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155748 |
| • | | Möhring, N.; et al. Extreme heat reduces insecticide use under real field conditions. 2022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.152043 |
| • | | Nackoney, J.; et al. Coupled forest zoning and agricultural intervention yields conflicting outcomes for tropical forest conservation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). 2022. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ac6ad8 |
| • | | Peguero, D.A.; et al. A review of pretreatment methods to improve agri-food waste bioconversion by black soldier fly larvae. 2022. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2021.745894 |
| • | | Pool, S.; et al. Impact of transformation from flood to drip irrigation on groundwater recharge and nitrogen leaching under variable climatic conditions. 2022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153805 |
| • | | Rogger, J.; et al. Carbon dioxide fluxes of a mountain grassland: drivers, anomalies and annual budgets. 2022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agrformet.2021.108801 |
| • | | Sandrock, C.; Genotype-by-diet interactions for larval performance and body composition traits in the black soldier fly, Hermetia illucens. 2022. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects13050424 |
| • | | Schils, R.L.M.; et al. Permanent grasslands in Europe: land use change and intensification decrease their multifunctionality. 2022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2022.107891 |
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Sellere, J.; et al. Six research priorities to support corporate due-diligence policies. 2022. Laws to stamp out deforestation, pollution and child labour in global supply chains might have unintended consequences. Researchers need to investigate these effects.
Several WFSC members comment in Nature: www.go.nature.com/3ttfcdh |
| • | | Shrivastava, C.; et al. Digital twins enable the quantification of the trade-offs in maintaining citrus quality and marketability in the refrigerated supply chain. 2022. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-022-00497-9 |
| • | | Tanner, E.; et al. Agricultural ammonia dry deposition and total nitrogen deposition to a Swiss mire. 2022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2022.108009 |
| • | | Vaccaro, C.; et al. Moderate shading did not affect barley yield in temperate silvoarable agroforestry systems. 2022. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-022-00740-z |
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