In spring 2011, in partnership with various Agropolis International institutions, Montpellier SupAgro created a Chair in World Food, accredited by UNESCO as part of the international Unitwin/UNESCO Chairs program.
Chair presentation
The aim of the Chair is to increase and disseminate theoretical and empirical knowledge of food systems around the world (particularly in urban areas), their diversity, dynamics and impacts on people and the environment, with a view to sustainable development.
To achieve this, the Chair relies on a network of researchers and teachers in France and around the world, involved in the Chair’s management bodies and its international network Unitwin (University Twining and Networking), as well as on networks of transition players (NGOs, local authorities, private sector, etc.).
Each of the different functions of food (social, cultural, biological, hedonic, environmental) corresponds to scientific disciplines that the Chair aims to decompartmentalize in order to develop a holistic approach to food.
Chair activities
This holistic vision of food is embodied in a range of activities:
- management of training courses, in particular the Specialized Masters® in Innovations and Policies for Sustainable Food (IPAD), delivered by Montpellier SupAgro and CIRAD. The Chair also offers educational courses on its website, as well as a seminar on contemporary food issues for students in various master’s programs in Montpellier and other French universities and schools;
- coordination and promotion of research projects, particularly on the sustainability of urban food systems(URBAL and Foodscapes);
- organizing conferences to promote dialogue between science and society, notably its annual international symposium. The Chair also forges numerous partnerships to organize conferences and symposia in France and abroad;
- publications (articles, books, summaries for action, symposium proceedings) and management of its website and social networks.
Photo : SupAgro