CIFAR is pleased to share that this September, we will launch a call for Discovery Workshops under the broad theme of The Future of Food.
This call builds on the insights of the The Future of Food Discovery Panel, which brought together researchers from around the world to explore the complexities and challenges facing future food systems. The panel’s report highlights three foundational research questions. We will invite proposals for workshops that address, challenge, or expand on one or more of these questions:
- How can we reimagine food production, blending the needs of the food system, people, and the Earth?
- How can we understand and shape the interdependencies between individual choices, nutrition, and human health?
- How do food practices at individual, cultural, and community levels scale up to influence global systems, and how can global decisions-making impact local food practices?
This Call for Workshops represents an important first step in exploring the potential for new CIFAR research programs. It will follow a multi-stage process: a subset of workshop teams will advance to two-year Discovery Programs, with the most promising among them ultimately evolving into full five-year Research Programs. This phased approach allows CIFAR to engage with a wide range of innovative ideas while maintaining its commitment to long-term support for the most novel and impactful research areas. The ultimate goal is to establish one to two new CIFAR Research Programs that will join existing initiatives within a new Impact Cluster on the Future of Food.
To help us maximize impact and attract a diverse range of proposals, we would be grateful for your support in spreading the word about our upcoming call. Please consider sharing the Discovery Panel’s Future of Food Report with your networks to spark conversation and inspire fresh ideas. This will play a key role in encouraging thoughtful, innovative workshop proposals this September.
We also understand there may be interest in the call within the program, and we would welcome the opportunity to discuss with you further.