The Institute for Advancing Health Through Agriculture (IHA) at Texas A&M is initiating a national study, seeking experts and leaders across the agriculture-food value chain to advance the concept of responsive agriculture. The “A National Roadmap for Responsive Agriculture Solutions” project aims to develop an agricultural system that supports health through nutrition, ensures economic robustness, and promotes environmental sustainability for future generations.
In this endeavor, IHA has partnered with the Chicago Council on Global Affairs’ Center on Global Food and Agriculture (the Chicago Council). Together, they aim to develop a roadmap to responsive agriculture by leveraging the combined insights of three committees and a recently established Task Force.
Over the next 18 months, the Task Force will be guided by the committees focused on
- chronic disease reduction
- agricultural ecosystems and agriculture-food value chain
- securing nutrition equity.
The objective is to bring together professionals who may not traditionally interact but whose collective insights hold the potential to advance responsive agriculture.
“We believe that convening experts in this arena will pave the way by creating a roadmap to reduce diet-related chronic diseases ultimately,” said Patrick Stover, Ph.D., director of the IHA and chair of the Task Force.
The committees will comprise individuals across the agriculture-food value chain, including researchers, decision-makers, public health professionals, industry representatives, consumers, and policy and medical experts. Their collective insights will guide the development of a final consensus report—a roadmap for action with recommendations for stakeholders across food and health systems, policymakers, funding agencies, and decision-makers in both private and public sectors. The Responsive Agriculture Roadmap is expected to be released by mid to late 2024.
“With the Task Force, we can use science-driven solutions to improve human health by transforming the food system and environment to achieve equitable access through choices that promote health and nutrition through food,” said Peggy Yih, managing director of the Center on Global Food and Agriculture at the Chicago Council and the Task Force staff study director.
The Task Force comprises distinguished individuals, including Patrick Stover, Ph.D. (chair), Regan Bailey, Ph.D., Catherine Bertini, Dan Gustafson, Ph.D., Scott Hutchins, A.G. Kawamura, Elizabeth Parker, D.V.M., Rebecca Seguin-Fowler, Ph.D., Pam Starke-Reed, Ph.D., and Bernhard van Lengerich, Ph.D.
The United States Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service (USDA ARS) funds the study—nominations to serve on the three committees close on June 7, 2023. To learn more about the study, the Task Force, the charges for each of the committees, or the call for nominations, please visit the IHA website.
Image provided by Texas A&M
