Geoff Simm

Improving the effectiveness and sustainability of agri-food systems is vital to tackling the challenges of global population growth, rapid urbanisation, food and environmental security, and diet and health. These challenges occur in low and middle income countries, as well as industrialised nations. The University of Edinburgh and its partners already make significant contributions to tackling these issues at national and global levels. Tackling these global challenges requires a global step-change in the scale and impact of education, research, and translation. The University is investing around £35 million in the new Global Academy of Agriculture and Food Security. These funds will enhance our provision of targeted education, training, research, innovation and consulting, to contribute to global food and environmental security, sustainable rural development, and animal and human wellbeing. Our interest in Malawi will remain long term with any aspect of agriculture, but in the first instance it surrounds the creation of a GCRF research Hub bid based around Malawi's agricultural and human health needs.