World Food Day 2025: Hand in Hand for Better Foods and a Better Future

October 16th marks World Food Day, a global moment to reflect on the challenges and opportunities in building a more sustainable, equitable food system. This year’s theme — “Hand in Hand for Better Foods and a Better Future” — resonates strongly with the mission and values of IBERS.

At IBERS, our vision is clear:
To carry out research to ensure that humanity can sustainably produce the food, feed and plant-based industrial resources it needs.

From developing climate-resilient crops to advancing sustainable livestock systems, our work brings together scientists, farmers, industry partners and policymakers — hand in hand — to tackle the pressing issues of food security, biodiversity loss, and climate change.

Working Together for Impact

Collaboration is at the heart of what we do. Whether it’s through our partnerships with agricultural communities, our contributions to national and international research programmes, or our commitment to training the next generation of bioscientists, IBERS is helping shape a future where better food and better futures go hand in hand.

Our research spans:

• Crop Science and Plant Breeding
  Developing new varieties of forage crops, grains for health, and industrial crops to improve yield, resilience, and nutritional value.
• Sustainable Livestock Systems
  Research into livestock nutrition, agricultural systems, and precision farming to reduce emissions and improve productivity. Read more about our research into Sustainable Livestock Systems here: https://www.aber.ac.uk/en/ibers/crop-science-and-plant-breeding/agricultural-systems/
• Bioeconomy and Biorefining
  Transforming plant-based resources into sustainable industrial products and exploring alternatives to imported protein sources. Read more about our biorefining research here: https://www.aber.ac.uk/en/ibers/crop-science-and-plant-breeding/bioeconomy/
• Resilient Crop Development
  IBERS is advancing research into perennial ryegrass, clover, oats, pearl millet and more to support climate-resilient agriculture and healthier foods.

Example Projects

Here are just a few of the innovative projects IBERS researchers are working on:

• High Sugar Grasses to support better livestock productivity
• Developing more persistent clover varieties to provide a sustainable protein source
• Breeding new oat varieties with increased milling quality for human health benefits
• Developing new varieties of pearl millet to increase drought resistance and improve human health

On World Food Day, we invite everyone — from researchers and students to farmers and consumers — to reflect on how we can work together to build a more sustainable food system.

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