Newsletter

Round-up – January 2025

This is our round-up for December 2024. Please note that this page is not updated, so deadlines may have passed and links may no longer work. To receive future newsletters, please join our network.

News

New BBSRC projects for supply chain resilience

The BBSRC has recently awarded £13 million to projects aimed at making UK supply chains more resilient.

The largest is the new £5 million ReImagining Supply Chains Network Plus (RiSC+) led by Queen’s University Belfast, reimagining supply chains in food, fashion and critical minerals.

Other awards include Backcasting to Achieve Food Resilience in the UK led by Prof Aled Jones at Anglia Ruskin University. Co-Investigators include AFN Network+ co-leads Angelina Sanderson Bellamy and Sarah Bridle; AFN Co-Investigator Tom MacMillan; and Elta Smith, AFN Year 3 Champion for Policy: Impact & Synthesis.

The project is focused on building evidence for interventions in the food system that support resilience against future vulnerabilities, by exploring the interplay between food system shocks, issues associated with the diversification of UK agriculture, alternatives to just-in-time supply chains and storage, and the optimal balance of self-sufficiency versus imports as well as health impacts.

Additional awarded projects include

  • Dr Zoe M Harris at the University of Surrey investigating vertical farming to boost the supply of leafy greens in the UK
  • Professor Emma Roe at the University of Southampton, familiar to AFN members from her recent scoping study. She will be leading the TRI SOME CHICKEN project examining the impacts of industrialised food production on communities, animals and the environment.
  • Professor Tom Oliver at the University of Reading will be analysing risks in the production, supply and consumption of fruits and vegetables to find the best interventions.
  • Dr Jagjit Singh Srai at the University of Cambridge will lead the RASCAL project, studying the balance between UK food production and imports, especially in light of disruptions caused by economic, political or climate factors.

Vacancies

Research Associate, UWE

As part of the Backcasting to Achieve Food Resilience (BAFR) project mentioned above, there is a vacancy for a Research Associate at UWE.

The successful applicant will conduct research both individually and as part of the team focused on food system stakeholder workshops and consultations, semi-structured interviews with supply chain actors, and literature review of crop and livestock production systems and impact on yield, sustainability, resilience and livelihoods over time. They will liaise regularly with project partners, which include WWF UK, Defra, Food Farming and Countryside Commission, Food Standards Agency, WRAP, Sustain and Trussell Trust.

More details

Deadline: 9 February 2025

Project Officer (LUNZ), UWE

The Land Use for Net Zero, Nature and People (LUNZ) Grasslands project is a new £4.5 million UKRI investment focused on improving net zero practices in livestock and grassland management.  The project began on 1 August 2024 and will run for 36 months, working in collaboration with colleagues at University of Reading, Scotland Rural College, Queens University Belfast, UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology and Aberystwysth University.

The project is led by Prof Angelina Sanderson Bellamy, from UWE Bristol who you will be working closely with and ensuring delivery of a professional service through project oversight and monitoring of key project targets. You will be required to compile project reports detailing assessment and analysis of financial spend, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) and impact across project activities.

More details

Deadline: 18 February 2025

Technician in Ruminant Nutrition and Methane Mitigation, University of Reading

This job offers an opportunity to work on a research project trialling GHG mitigation measures, in research and commercial environments, focusing on methane suppressing feed supplements. The project aims to verify the effectiveness of these measures in reducing GHG emissions, inform policy development, and evaluate the potential for mandatory use of these products.

More details

Deadline: 12 February 2025

Scientific Advisory Committee and Expert Panel, NatureScot

Seven positions are available on NatureScot’s Scientific Advisory Committee and Expert Panel. The vacancies are for ten days each year, and are to help shape Scotland’s nature policy through peer reviews, research evaluation and by providing scientific advice.

More details

Deadline: 30 January 2025

Events

Sustainable Foods Conference

28-29 January 2025, London

This year’s conference features senior spokespeople from Sainsbury’s, Danone, PepsiCo, British Sugar, Tate & Lyle, Arla Foods and Tesco.

More details

Net Zero Methane Hub Showcase

Thursday 13th February, 9am – 5pm, Eden Project, Cornwall

Organised by the IFEAA, a deep dive into the state-of-the-art technologies used to produce energy from manure. Learn about the latest breakthroughs in biomethane production and how these innovations can transform agricultural waste into valuable energy resources.

More details

Webinar: OIRC – Funding for collaborative research in diet and health

Tuesday 18th February 2025, 2:00 – 3:00pm

The British Nutrition Foundation is organising a webinar on the Diet and Health OIRC (Open Innovation Research Club) and how to apply for funding to support collaborative research that can help drive real-life improvements in diet and health. Six OIRC Hubs fund early-stage innovative research encouraging UK academics involved in nutrition-related research and food industry experts to collaborate and co-design proposals.

More details

Minoritised Life Scientists Future Forum

31 March – 2 April 2025, Birmingham

The Minoritised Life Scientists Future Forum (MLSFF) is dedicated to highlighting the invaluable contributions of marginalised communities in science. The event will bring together a diverse group of delegates from across the UK and Europe, including students, early-career researchers, and seasoned professionals. It will foster a vibrant platform for exchanging ideas, showcasing research, and building meaningful connections.

More details

Funding

UKRI: Pre-announcement: Proof of Concept

Apply for proof-of-concept funding to support the commercialisation of research to enable spinouts or social ventures, licencing or other commercialisation pathways. Applications can be from any discipline and no pre-existing UKRI funding is required. Applicants must be based at a UK research organisation.

The full economic cost (FEC) can be up to £250,000 for 12 months duration with a minimum of £100,000 for 6 months. UKRI will fund 80% FEC.

More details

Deadline (for intention to submit,  a mandatory step): 3 March 2025