WFSC Research Symposium 2019

World Food System Center 2019 Research Symposium. (ETH/Alessandro Della Bella)

This public research symposium highlighted the research that the World Food System Center Research Programs support as well as other food system relevant research conducted by our members and their groups at ETH Zurich, Agroscope, Eawag, Empa, and FiBL.

This year’s symposium focused on how current research contributes to sustainable food systems and supports reaching the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN Agenda 2030. The main program started with a keynote address on the Future Food Initiative by Prof. Dr. Detlef Günther, ETH Zurich VP Research and Corporate Relations. The presentation sessions then featured inputs from five concluding research projects focused (1) Nutritious, Safe and Sustainable Food for All and (2) Healthy Soils, Improved Livelihoods. These projects are supported by Mercator Research Program on Organic Production Systems and the Coop Research Program on Sustainability in Food Value Chains.

A networking poster session showcased 50 posters displaying ongoing food system research and Center initiatives and offers participants the chance to interact directly with researchers.

Date and time: Thursday, 31 October 2019, 17:15-21:00
Location: ETH Zurich, Main Building, HG F 30, Audi Max

Impressions from WFSC Research Symposium 2019

WFSC Chair Prof. Michael Siegrist opening the symposium (Image: Alessandro Della Bella)
Prof. Detlef Günther introducing global challenges to audience (Image: Alessandro Della Bella)
Prof. Detlef Günther introducing the global challenge of plastic packaging pollution (Image: Alessandro Della Bella)
Josep Ramoneda introducing his reseach on rooibos tea production (Image: Alessandro Della Bella) The audience was invited to ask questions after presentations (Image: Alessandro Della Bella) Presenter Anna Greppi answering question from audience (Image: Alessandro Della Bella)
WFSC Executive Director Martijn Sonnevelt moderated the evening (Image: Alessandro Della Bella)
Taking a moment to thank Anna K. Gilgen for her efforts at the Center (Image: Alessandro Della Bella)
Refreshing the audience at the reception (Image: Alessandro Della Bella)
Discussions with industry partner Beatrice Conde from Bühler at the reception (Image: Alessandro Della Bella)
Lively discussions at networking poster session (Image: Alessandro Della Bella) Lively discussions at networking poster session (Image: Alessandro Della Bella) Martijn discussing with researchers (Image: Alessandro Della Bella)
ArtScience was also on display at the symposium (Image: Alessandro Della Bella)
ArtScience illuminated the evening (Image: Alessandro Della Bella) A quiet moment interacting with ArtScience at the symposium (Image: Alessandro Della Bella)

Program

Download the Downloadevent program here (PDF, 2.7 MB) with a list of the 50 posters and their contributions to sustainable food systems.

Download the DownloadSymposium 2019 Proceedings (PDF, 1013 KB), which includes the program plus presentation and poster abstracts.

WFSC Symposium 2019

Networking Poster Session

A networking poster session showcased 50 posters displaying ongoing food system research and Center initiatives and offered participants the chance to interact directly with researchers.

The audience selected two poster awards during the poster session of the symposium: the Best Poster Prize, a 1000 CHF prize for research addressing any food system challenge, and the Mercator Prize, a 1000 CHF prize for research on the role of organic production systems in addressing food security. Prize money is to be used for a research, education, or outreach activity.

Poster prize winner

Two poster prizes were awarded at the Symposium:

Best Overall Poster Prize: Consumer’s knowledge gain through a cross-categorical environmental food label by Marius Dihr, Michael Siegrist and Bernadette Sütterlin

DownloadDownload Poster (PDF, 3 MB)

poster prize winner

The Mercator Poster Prize: Why are there regional differences in the uptake of organic farming? by Marc Chautems, Robert Finger and Robert Huber

DownloadDownload Poster (PDF, 1016 KB)

We congratulate this year’s winners, and we thank all presenters and contributors for making this networking event such a success!

50 posters showcasing food sytems research at ETH Zurich, Agroscope, and FiBL took part in our networking poster session. Download many of the interesting posters here. All the abstracts can be found in the DownloadSymposium Proceedings (PDF, 1013 KB)

DownloadDeveloping crop diversification measures to optimize bean production in North Macedonia (PDF, 1.3 MB)

DownloadGenetic improvement of climbing beans using genomics and machine learning (PDF, 1.2 MB)

DownloadHost genotype x soil interaction in the composition of pathogenic and beneficial fungi of pea lines screened for root-rot resistance (PDF, 863 KB)

DownloadImpact of Swiss cropping systems on soil hydraulic properties (PDF, 1.6 MB)

DownloadTracking growth phenology and physiology of a cropland in response to experimental drought and different cropping systems (PDF, 417 KB)

DownloadLarge-scale crop classification from satellite images (PDF, 946 KB)

DownloadUse of nitrified urine fertilizer (NUF) in a hydroponic Bato bucket system (PDF, 501 KB)

DownloadBiological Control: Fighting below ground insect pests with entomopathogenic Pseudomonas bacteria, nematodes and fungi (PDF, 2.7 MB)

DownloadDiversity-functioning relationships in agroecosystems: from crops over weeds to soil microbes (PDF, 775 KB)

DownloadExploring trajectories of shifting-cultivation landscapes through games: the case of Assam (India) (PDF, 145 KB)

DownloadForest enrichment with Brazil Nut - An economic perspective (PDF, 1.2 MB)

DownloadEffects of organic farming on ecosystem services and grassland multifunctionality: the ServiceGrass Project (PDF, 782 KB)

DownloadWhy are there regional differences in the uptake of organic farming? (PDF, 1016 KB)

DownloadTowards a more energy-efficient and upscalable electrohydrodynamic drying of food (PDF, 1.4 MB)

DownloadCombining oral vaccination and niche competition to fight antimicrobial resistance gene-reservoirs (PDF, 1.8 MB)

DownloadNose to Tail – safety assessment of slaughtering byproducts (PDF, 697 KB)

DownloadSymbiosis opportunities between food and energy system: the application of manure based biogas as heat source for greenhouses (PDF, 995 KB)

DownloadProspects of Digital Agricultural Policy (PDF, 194 KB)

DownloadDigital twins: The next hot topic in fresh-produce cold chains! (PDF, 1.1 MB)

DownloadDigit Soil (PDF, 420 KB)

DownloadVariable rate technologies – costs and benefits of increasing information accuracy (PDF, 710 KB)

DownloadThe optimal drought index for designing weather index insurance (PDF, 484 KB)

DownloadCountry-wide high-resolution vegetation height mapping with Sentinel-2 (PNG, 2.7 MB)

DownloadIrrigation modernization: Towards a more sustainable use of freshwater resources in citrus production? (JPEG, 2.4 MB)

DownloadElucidating farm system economics as influenced by agroforestry in West Switzerland (PDF, 558 KB)

DownloadCritical resilience – Poverty traps and power relations in face of climate change – The case of tomato value chain in Ghana (PDF, 983 KB)

DownloadPubliFarm Research Days: Chewing cows, apple trees and earth worms – An on-farm science experience for the public (PDF, 1.7 MB)

DownloadThe relationship between food disgust sensitivity and sustainability (PDF, 633 KB)

DownloadConsumer’s knowledge gain through a cross-categorical environmental food label (PDF, 1000 KB)

DownloadCan consumers contribute to the resilience of the food systems? (PDF, 706 KB)

DownloadRheology of Swiss Cheese Fondue (PDF, 310 KB)

DownloadIron requirements in women and children (PDF, 432 KB)

DownloadIodine absorption and thyroidal uptake: A novel 129I tracer method for their assessment in humans (PDF, 858 KB)

Center Posters

DownloadSustainable food systems (PDF, 1.6 MB)

DownloadFuture Food Initiative - Promoting talents and new ideas for food systems of the future (PDF, 84 KB)

DownloadWorld Food System Center Mercator Program (PDF, 340 KB)

DownloadThe World Food System Center Alumni Network (WFSCAN)- organized by alumni for alumni (PDF, 495 KB)

DownloadCreating sustainable change in food systems: The WFSC Summer School 2019 (PDF, 600 KB)

DownloadArtScience: Creativity, curiosity, and courage (PDF, 108 KB)

Learn more about research presented at previous WFSC Research Symposiums

2017 Symposium

Find the program, abstracts, and posters from the 2018 WFSC Research Symposium here

Watch the video of all 2018 presentations

Find the program, abstracts, and posters from the 2017 WFSC Research Symposium here

Find the program from the 2016 WFSC Research Symposium here