WUR to lead EU programme DeSIRA-LIFT: climate smart, productive and sustainable food systems

30 July 2021. Wageningen University & Research leads a new EU programme, DeSIRA-LIFT, that will support the design of evidence-based policies for food system transformation. This programme is a close collaboration between Agrinatura, EFARD and DG INTPA (International Partnerships) of the European Commission. The programme is part of the DeSIRA initiative of the European Commission.

The objective of DeSIRA-LIFT is to support the DeSIRA initiative and its current and future activities in order to optimize its impact.

Helena Posthumus, programme director DeSIRA-LIFT at Wageningen Centre for Development Innovation: ‘Research in itself does not lead to food system transformation if it is not connected to the movers and shakers in the food system who can bring about change. This requires strengthening of partnerships and innovation capacities. It also requires supporting evidence-informed policy dialogue and design.”

DeSIRA-LIFT aims to contribute to these efforts together with international partners, and synthesize the knowledge and lessons on these topics to inform policy makers of the European Commission and beyond. Posthumus: “Hence the acronym LIFT: Leveraging the DeSIRA Initiative for agri-food systems transformation. Outcomes aim at a better use of research for impact under a changing climate, particularly in Africa. In the project, we will closely cooperate with the representatives of the European Commission. A challenging example of working at the interface of research, policy and practice.’

Reference: Public Release from the Wageningen University & Research. View in full here.