Food, Land and Ecosystems

Rice paddies and flower

This programme supports countries with their food, land and water management planning for transformational changes using existing UNU-INWEH tools, through developing new tools and through multi-partner research. Capacity-building focuses on the next generation of leaders through a range of training and research sub-programmes. The collation of evidence-based transformational changes is used for advocacy and up-scaling.

Our research focuses on neglected areas such as: excessive use and under use of nutrient and other agrochemical inputs; water use efficiency; economic systems that favor the poor and create employment opportunities; cost-benefit analyses of interventions and their effects on well-being and the environment; cross-cutting institutional arrangements that embrace trans-disciplinary approaches; linkages between three UN environmental conventions and the SDGs and incentives for greater private sector involvement in equitable food production systems. The food and land use systems that protect and conserve ecosystem services and economically viable improve human health and well-being and ensure equitable distribution of benefits.