The Oxford Martin Programme on
The Future of Food
The Challenge
A significant overhaul of the current global food system is needed to meet the challenges of feeding a growing world population in a healthy, equitable, sustainable and resilient way.
The future of food programme links together research on the food system at Oxford and facilitates solution-orientated research to address these major concerns. The research includes scientific, economic, social and environmental issues of food production and consumption, as well as how food affects health, sustainability and economic development.
By integrating existing research, supporting new interdisciplinary initiatives, and facilitating interactions between academia, government, civil society and the private sector, we provide fresh insights and propose effective action to address the challenges of feeding the global population.
Livestock, Environment and People (LEAP)
The global average consumption of meat and dairy is rising, driven by increasing incomes and population growth. The growing demand for meat matters as its consumption has significant effects on people’s health and livestock production can have major environmental impacts.
The LEAP programme aims to understand the health, environmental, social and economic effects of meat and dairy consumption to provide evidence and tools for decision makers to promote healthy and sustainable diets.
LEAP is supported by the Wellcome Trust’s Our Planet Our Health Programme and is a four-year project (2017-2021) led by Professor Charles Godfray and Professor Susan Jebb.
latest news
View allBeans and peas best meat alternative, finds Oxford research
Beans and peas rank best as meat and milk replacements from nutritional, health, environmental, and cost perspectives, a new study led by an Oxford Martin researcher has found.
Eating less sugar would be great for the planet as well as our health
Sugar addiction is on the rise. Globally, sugar intake has quadrupled over the last 60 years, and it now makes up around 8% of all our calories.
British Academy Global Professor to research food systems at Oxford Martin School
Professor Paul Behrens will join the Oxford Martin School in September after being awarded a British Academy Global Professorship, working on rapid food system transformations in a rapidly changing world.
Last LEAP Conference highlights importance of food research communities
The Oxford Martin Programme on the Future of Food recently celebrated the last Wellcome-funded LEAP conference. The conference showcased novel research findings, examining the relationship between livestock, the environment and people; and brought together a strong community of researchers in these fields.