The F&BKP started in September 2013 and after seven years we will end our activities in their current form: supporting the knowledge generation and sharing of thematic networks; facilitating the work of Food & Business Research consortia in partnership with NWO-WOTRO; and providing access to frontline publications through our Knowledge Portal. In the new year, the Platform will be formally integrated in Netherlands Food Partnership (NFP). »

On 9 and 10 December, the Food & Business Research Final Conference “Scaling Insights for Sustainable Food Systems” took place online with participants from all over the world. The conference was organized by NWO-WOTRO and the Food & Business Knowledge Platform to enlarge the impact of the 75 Food & Business Research projects (Applied Research Fund and Global Challenges Programme), bring together insights and outcomes, and discuss implications for future Food and Nutrition Security (FNS) (research) programmes. »

On December 3, 2020, the F&BKP facilitated Panel 47 entitled “Agricultural Tertiary and Vocational Education and Training (ATVET) in Africa: integration within the broader Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System”. The panel was organized in collaboration with RUFORUM, Wageningen University & Research and Nuffic and was part of the “Africa Knows! It is time to decolonise minds” conference. It focused specifically on how ATVET can bridge the gap between higher education, other forms of learning, and the business community. »

On Monday November 30, 2020 an international conference took place about the future of the hybrid potato, called Potato Futures: Impact of hybrid varieties. In this one-day international conference a variety of Dutch and international speakers contributed to a diverse and interactive programme. Main subject to the conference was the potential and promises of the hybrid potato in response to the global challenges of food security, sustainability and climate change. »

Last year’s Food & Business Knowledge Platform’s work on Food and Nutrition Security from a food systems approach in Ghana and on measuring the Food Environment revealed a great need and huge potential for a Ghanaian Dutch multi-stakeholder coalition and further private and public sector development in the field of Urban Food Environments. This has resulted in the set-up of a Netherlands Food Partnership collective impact coalition in this field. »

Horticulture sector stakeholders shared their lessons from practice in a recent series of cross-country Valuable Vegetables webinars. Vegetable safety can be improved if various value chain players contribute and collaborate. Inclusiveness of horticulture sector programmes remains a challenge, even if some programmes include women and youth in their activities. »