Gateway to food and nutrition security

The Food & Business Knowledge Platform (F&BKP) brings together networks and organisations from the private sector, civil society, and the science, social science, education and policy communities. The aim of the Platform is to share, learn, apply, critically reflect and create new knowledge and applications that will contribute to food and nutrition security. Networks from local to global level are invited to participate in the Platform to generate knowledge that improves understanding of how food systems work at a time when the world is facing multiple challenges.

Dynamic and independent gateway

The F&BKP supports the Dutch government’s global quest to develop and implement effective ways to enhance food and nutrition security and to actively encourage cooperation with the private sector. The F&BKP is a dynamic, open and independent gateway where networks of organisations and businesses working on food and nutrition security identify knowledge issues and engage in dialogue. Networks and organisations share lessons learned, deepen knowledge, showcase promising innovations, and nourish practice and policy to generate and enhance knowledge. A Knowledge Platform Office has been established to support the F&BKP.

The F&BKP aims to contribute to a more effective and structured knowledge agenda on food and nutrition security for all participating networks and organisations. By working with a thematic focus, the platform will work to strengthen the connection between practice, research and policy. Rephrasing research questions and linking them more closely to global, regional and local challenges will be central to this effort.

Better understanding of the food systems

One of the major challenges facing the world is how to feed its growing population sustainably and nutritiously. With nearly one-eighth of the world's population suffering from chronic hunger and that population projected to reach nine billion by 2050, there are many challenges ahead that will threaten the secure supply of affordable and nutritious food. The solution is not simply to increase food production, but to adjust the way that food systems work from farmers to consumers, from the local to the global level.

By deepening existing knowledge, embracing interdisciplinary research, showcasing good practice and identifying blind spots in policies and knowledge agendas, networks will gain a better understanding of the food systems in which they are active. In this way, the networks and the actors involved in them will be enabled to generate improved knowledge and tools to address the issues they face and change the context in which they operate.

Improving food and nutrition security

The F&BKP is a flexible group of international networks and organisations that join forces on a number of selected themes under the Food & Business Knowledge Agenda. Despite the variety of actors and backgrounds, these networks together form a platform that is committed to improving food and nutrition security in developing countries and emerging economies.