Mansholt lecture
The Mansholt lectures, named for the great Dutch European politician and thinker Sicco Mansholt, are organised by Wageningen University & Research to discuss European policy and issues in our domain: nutrition, agriculture and sustainable livelihoods.
In 2016 WUR started to organise the annual Mansholt lectures. During the lectures WUR presents multidisciplinary views on aspects of the European policy and recommendations to adjust this policy. The policy views and recommendations are discussed during the meeting with representatives from scientific community, governments and business.
The lectures aim to alter European policy, either by agenda setting or by providing recommendations for various takeholders. As such the first lecture made a pledge for a Common Agriculture & Food Policy, a more integrative approach on the connection between nutrition patterns and the agricultural policy. The second lecture provided recommendations for the Agrifood 2030 research agenda. The third Mansholt lecture in 2018 discussed the opportunities and difficulties of circularity in agricultural production.
Topic 2021: Digitalisation in the agrifood sector
Due to the covid pandemic and precautions, the Mansholt lecture 2020 is being postponed until 22 September 2021. The fifth edition, the Mansholt lecture addresses the challenges and opportunities of responsible digitalisation of agriculture and food production in Europe.
More information and registration
Former Mansholt lectures
Mansholt 2019: The Future of Proteins
The fourth edition of the Mansholt lecture focusses on the future of proteins, reflecting on the challenges and discussing policy recommendations. As part of the transition to a fully biobased economy, WUR calls for a new focus on production and consumption. We envision a future in which protein production will need to be sustainable, affordable and healthy. Purposeful combinations of plants, animals, and microorganisms from land and sea will be tailored to local conditions, even where resources are scarce. Europe needs to consider creating a European policy on protein transition.
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Download the brochure: Chickpeas, crickets and chlorella: our future proteins
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Mansholt 2018: Towards circularity in agricultural production
The key challenge is to secure a sustainable and healthy nutrition security within the capacity of planet earth and human society. A paradigm shift from optimization in production towards optimization in resource use. Europe’s future lies not in a linear but in a circular food system with an integrated use of regenerative natural resources and associated agro-biomass.
During the 2018 Mansholt Lecture Wageningen University & Research presented the overall framework as well as the scientific basis for the transition towards a circular food system in Europe.
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- “Circularity in agricultural production” by prof Imke J.M. de Boer and prof Martin K. van Ittersum
Mansholt Lecture 2017: Food policy and Research
President of the Executive Board of Wageningen University & Research, Prof. dr. Louise O. Fresco gave a keynote speech and two documents were presented:
The policy document ‘Food transition 2030' focuses on the challenge to achieve the transitions to a sustainable, affordable, trustworthy and high-quality food system in the next decade or two that will fulfil the needs of a diverse and growing world population.
The policy document ‘Towards a European Food and Nutrition policy’examines current policies and practices before diving into the question how innovation can support a change towards better diets.
A forum with international experts discussed both documents.
Read more about this Mansholt lecture
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Our food in 2030
How can we make sure there is healthy, safe and affordable food that has been sustainably produced in our shops in about ten or twenty years' time? -
Food deserves coherent policies from cities to Brussels
The annual Mansholt lecture is named after the Dutch politician Sicco Mansholt one of the EU politicians of agriculture. Someone with a great heart...
Mansholt Lecture 2016: ‘Towards a Common Agricultural and Food Policy’
The first Mansholt lecture was organised in September 2016 with the title ‘Towards a Common Agricultural and Food Policy’. This lecure emphasized the need to involve all stakeholders into a broader common agriculture & food policy. This in order to cope with five major challenges: food and nutrition security & safety, climate change & water and energy use, ecological impacts, healthy diet for a lifelong healthy lifestyle, and inequality.
