The world needs more food to sustain an increasing population, but at the same time, the planet's resources and climate are under pressure and are changing. So how can we solve both challenges?

Approximately 400 researchers, experts, decision-makers and others watched the webinar launching the white paper, which included an in-depth description of the roadmap recently submitted to Innovation Fund Denmark as the basis for mission-driven green partnerships on climate and environmentally friendly agriculture and food production. These partnerships will ensure a coherent effort between research, business and government agencies on the road to the green transition within agriculture and food production.

Many things are on the line

The road towards the green transition is long and complicated because being able to accommodate climate change, loss of biodiversity and fundamental changes in land use all over the world requires a huge academic and knowledge-based effort, but will also require new technologies, forms of operation and patterns of consumption.

In Denmark, we have a unique opportunity to take on a leadership role in the green transition by combining our existing strengths within innovation and research with the country's agricultural sector and food production.

By pooling our resources, we as a nation can help ensure future development and innovation in the area, while simultaneously contributing to lowering the climate and environmental footprint from agriculture and food. It will also help safeguard Danish workplaces, exports and economic growth.

Broad collaboration

The white paper is titled "A sustainable transformation of the Danish agri-food system (AgriFoodTure)” and has been prepared in collaboration with researchers from all of Denmark's universities. This included sparring and dialogue with specialists and representatives from relevant businesses, sectors and special interest organisations. The work was coordinated by Aarhus University, University of Copenhagen, DTU and SEGES during the spring and summer of 2021.

In addition to a general, unifying perspective and framework, the publication outlines four tracks for the transformation:

• Land use 
• Animal production
• Plant-based diet 
• Alternative and biotechnological foods

Click here for additional information and to download the white paper

The webinar was held on 25 June 2021. Click here to watch the entire webinar on the SEGES website.

For more information, please contact:
Head of Department Jørgen E Olesen,
Department of Agroecology
Email: jeo@agro.au.dk
Mobile: +45 40 82 16 59