Texas A&M’s Institute for Advancing Health Through Agriculture (IHA) is leading a study focusing on advancing the concept of responsive agriculture, according to a release. In addition to the study, the IIHA is seeking experts and leaders in the agriculture food value chain to serve on one of its three committees, which will help develop a road map to achieve responsive agriculture.
What is responsive agriculture? It’s the concept of an agricultural system and food environment that supports health through nutrition while ensuring an economically robust and environmentally sustainable system for future generations.
To help facilitate this effort, the IHA partnered with the Chicago Council on Global Affairs’ Center on Global Food and Agriculture to organize and harness the synergy of these diverse and important committees toward this effort. Over the next 18 months, the task force will be informed by the three committees in the domains of chronic disease reduction, agricultural ecosystems and agriculture food value chain and securing nutrition equity.
The intent with these committees is to bring together experts — from decision-makers to consumers to agriculture professionals to medical experts — who might not traditionally interact or work collaboratively, yet collectively hold the unique potential to advance responsive agriculture.
“A collaborative effort of this magnitude is essential to realize the concept of responsive agriculture. We believe that convening experts in this arena will pave the way by creating a roadmap to ultimately reduce diet-related chronic diseases,” said Patrick Stover, director of the IHA and chair of the task force.
The task force would be charged with guiding the development of a roadmap for action with useful recommendations for various stakeholders across food and health systems in the private and public sectors with a release date of 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 Chicago Council is incredibly excited to partner with the IHA to facilitate these efforts to enable responsive agriculture solutions to benefit the nation.”
Nominations 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 here.
