Experts gather at York conference focusing on global challenges of feeding and healing the world

Posted on Monday 21 October 2019

The N8 AgriFood conference will drive debate and provide solutions to some of the most critical challenges facing world food systems. Delegates will discuss advances in urban agriculture and smart technology, food poverty, food standards and the effects of Brexit.

Leading research

The two-day event being held at The Principal Hotel in York will be opened by the University of York’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Charlie Jeffery.

The University of York is one of eight northern universities which make up the N8 AgriFood group to combine expertise that otherwise would not have been brought together. The conference will showcase some of their world leading research.

Sustainable

Professor Katherine Denby from the University of York and N8 AgriFood’s Academic Director said: “We are looking forward to joining with our seven other university partners to celebrate what we have collectively achieved and join them, and other external stakeholders at the conference, in helping to shape how we now move forward to continue to find solutions for a sustainable food system.

“There is increasing recognition of a need to provide solutions on a large scale, which can most efficiently be achieved by bringing together academics from a range of disciplines and stakeholders from across the sector. We are in an excellent position to respond to this need at such a crucial time”

Keynote speakers include; the National Farmers Union’s Head of Food and Farming Phil Hambling, the Co-op’s Head of Food Policy Cathryn Higgs, and Jonathan Brooks, Head of the Agri-Food Trade and Markets Division within the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The conference is expected to attract an audience of around 250 people over the two days.