Aligning common R&I priorities to face the intertwined challenges of food and diet-related Non Communicable Diseases and Climate Change
Funding programme: Horizon Europe
Budget: € 2 414 977,50
Consortium: Zorgonderzoek Nederland, Eigen vermogen van het Instituut voor Landbouw- en Visserijonderzoek, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique et de l’Environment, Institutul Naţional de Cercetaredezvoltare pentru Bioresurse Alimentare, Kauno Technologijos Universitetas Izglitibas un Zinatnes Ministrija, Ministero dell’Agricoltura, della Sovranita Alimentare e delle Foreste, European Public Health Alliance, ILSI International Life Sciences Institute, The European Federation of the Associations of Dietitians, Institut Za Razvoj i Inovacije
Start: 1 january 2025 - End: 31 December 2028
Website: coming soon

Background
In society today, two pressing issues demand immediate attention, namely the increasing burden of diet-related Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs), and the escalating threat of Climate Change. Recent data underscores the severity of these problems, with a significant rise in NCDs linked to poor dietary habits and affecting the accessibility to affordable and nutritious food for all people. Simultaneously, Climate Change is accelerating, breaching planetary boundaries and posing existential risks to ecosystems and human civilisation. The food system has a crucial role in contributing significantly to both NCDsand environmental degradation.
Objectives
HDHL Food4Health addresses the intertwined challenges of food and diet-related Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs) and Climate Change by fostering collaboration and aligning research efforts across food, health, and environment areas. Through a participatory approach, HDHL Food4Health widens the HDHL network and organises co-creation workshops to identify common Research & Innovation (R&I) priorities. It aims to overcome siloed approaches by coordinating activities among government, academia, industry, and citizens, enhancing societal impact at national and regional levels. Leveraging its connections with researchers, policymakers, and other relevant stakeholders, HDHL supports its members in contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by aligning food and health systems. The initiative facilitates joint funding calls and implements transdisciplinary research actions to maximise impact and address urgent societal challenges. By promoting collaboration and knowledge exchange, HDHL Food4Health aims to catalyse a shift towards healthier and more sustainable food systems, ultimately contributing to improved public health and environmental sustainability. The main objective of HDHL Food4Health is to align common R&I priorities among funding programmes by identifying research and policy needs, whilst continuing to align both with the Horizon Europe (HE) Partnerships and the needs identified by the European Commission.
Role of ILSI Europe
ILSI Europe is leading the Work Package on “Coordination of Joint Research Calls and Activities”, exploring R&I funding mechanisms with the aim to foster R&I alignment, integration and solutions uptake.
ILSI Europe is responsible for the tasks of inventorying feasible R&I funding mechanisms, and of connecting Early Career Networks in nutrition, health, social sciences and other relevant disciplines to foster interdisciplinary collaboration from the early stages of researchers' careers.
For more information, contact Isabelle Guelinckx at iguelinckx@ilsieurope.be