Transformative
Research
Challenge

Innovation Lab
INNOVATION LAB
#worldfoodforum

Apply now!

Please note, applications are open in all six official languages of the United Nations (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish).

TRC explained

The WFF Transformative Research Challenge (TRC) aims to inspire research and innovation in sustainable development to end hunger and transform our agrifood systems. Teams of young and young-at-heart researchers are invited to submit a two-page concept note proposing an innovative research idea to help end hunger and transform our agrifood systems. Shortlisted participants receive expert mentorship to help translate their concepts into sound research papers and present them at the WFF global stage each October.

Output examples include:

  • a research article for publication;
  • a research project proposal for grant funding;
  • a paper or presentation at a scientific conference;
  • a plan for further development, partnership or scaling to transform a research innovation into a tangible solution.

During the pitches, a panel of expert judges will select the top teams.

 

Prizes with the 2024 WFF Transformative Research Challenge

For the fourth iteration of the TRC, the WFF is hosting prizes in collaboration with new partners. We are looking to promote innovative, research-based solutions on topics related to global agrifood systems transformation and to better address current challenges.

Each prize entails a different set of criteria for participation that can be seen below:

 

(co-hosted with Wageningen University & Research (WUR) and FAO One Health Team (CJWZ))

This prize, co-hosted by at Wageningen University & Research (WUR) and at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) One Health Team, calls upon teams worldwide to propose One Health solutions to improve the health of all species. This Prize focuses on the creation of safer, more resilient food systems to minimize the emergence and impact of infections that threaten both animal and human health, thereby helping to prevent future pandemics. Five winners will receive research grants of up to USD 10 000 and the opportunity to attend the WFF flagship event in October 2024.

Learn more about the prize

(co-hosted with Meatless Monday and Simon Fraser University)

This Prize focuses on identifying innovative ways to shift consumer behaviors that encourage plant-based food choices and decreased meat consumption. This could include a new food product or menu that is healthy, sustainable and accessible; a tool for making optimal food choices; or an approach that helps consumers overcome barriers to change. The goal of this prize is to encourage people to shift towards a more plant-based diet that can help reduce the global burden of chronic preventable diseases, preserve precious land and water resources, and slow the acceleration of climate change, which threatens our planet’s future. Two winners will receive research grants of up to USD 15 000, the opportunity to travel to the WFF flagship event in October 2024 and and the chance to publish their research through FAO.

Learn more about the prize

(co-hosted with FAO Nutrition and Food Systems Division (ESN))

Food loss and waste (FLW) represents a significant global challenge, with profound social, economic, and environmental implications. Presently, an estimated 13 percent of the world's food fails to reach the retail stage of the supply chain, being lost between harvest and consumption, while an additional 17 percent is wasted in households, food services, and retail outlets. This prize aims to drive the transformation of agrifood systems by enhancing food security and nutrition through increased food availability, mitigating greenhouse gas emissions, and alleviating pressure on vital resources like land and water. Winners will gain visibility at the global WFF flagship event in October 2024, access to extensive networks within WFF and FAO, and the opportunity to disseminate their research through FAO channels.

Learn more about the prize

Special Prizes with the 2024 WFF Transformative Research Challenge

For the third iteration of the TRC, the WFF is hosting special prizes in collaboration with new partners. We are looking to promote innovative, research-based solutions on topics related to global agrifood systems transformation and to better address current challenges. Each special prize entails a different set of criteria for participation that can be seen below:

  • PPR Special Prize
    (co-hosted with FAO Peste des Petits Ruminants/PPR GEP Secretariat)


    This special prize aims to address the issue of Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR), also known as sheep and goat plague. A highly contagious viral disease, it is currently present in nearly 70 countries in the Middle East and Arabian Peninsula, Africa and Asia where it causes annual economic losses of up to USD 2.1 billion. The inability of families, communities and institutions to anticipate, absorb, or recover from PPR can compromise national and regional development efforts, and turn back the clock on decades of progress. The goal is to encourage teams of young researchers to propose transformative solutions to combat PPR, as the control and eradication of PPR is possible with the correct resources available. The winners of the PPR special prize will be able to publish their research within FAO, receive up to USD10,000 per team in grant funding and have an exclusive spot on the PPR GEP webpage to bring their research to practice.

    Learn more about the prize.

 

  • Global One Health
    (co-hosted with Wageningen University & Research (WUR), FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) One Health Team (CJWZ))


    This special prize, co-hosted by at Wageningen University & Research (WUR )and at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) One Health Team, calls upon teams worldwide to propose One Health solutions to improve the health of all species. This Special Prize focuses on the creation of safer, more resilient food systems to minimize the emergence and impact of infections that threaten both animal and human health, thereby helping to prevent future pandemics. Five winners will receive research grants of up to USD 10 000 and the opportunity to attend the WFF flagship event in October 2024.

    Learn more about the prize.

 

  • The Role of Water in Agrifood Systems Transformation
    (co-hosted with International Water Management Institute (IWMI) MENA Region, Food and Agriculture Youth Institute (FAYI – IAAS))


    This special prize seeks to address one of the most pressing challenges of our time: water scarcity. As the largest water user worldwide, the agriculture sector is uniquely positioned to drive the transition towards sustainable water management. The TRC Special Water Prize, co-hosted by the IWMI MENA Region and the FAYI - IAAS, challenges young researchers to propose transformative solutions that ensure the sustainable use and management of water in different agricultural landscapes. The winners will receive travel allowance to the flagship event, internships with IWMI MENA and the opportunity to publish their research through FAO. The goal is to promote innovative solutions that will help address the growing global water crisis, while also contributing to achieving the goal of Zero Hunger for all.

    Learn more about the prize.

 

  • Food Loss and Waste

    Across the globe, approximately 14 percent of the world's food, valued at USD 400 billion, is lost every year from harvest up to, but not including, the retail market (FAO, 2019). At the same time, 17 percent of food is wasted at the retail and consumer levels (UNEP, 2021). Food is the single largest category of material placed in municipal landfills and we lose or waste enough food to feed 1.3 billion hungry people every year. Reducing food loss and waste must be a central part of transforming agrifood systems and global climate solution. This special prize focuses on finding innovative research solutions to reduce food loss throughout the supply chain, between harvest and retail, as well as food waste at consumer levels. The winners will receive visibility at the global WFF flagship event in October 2023, access to WFF and FAO global networks, and the opportunity to publish their research through FAO.

 

  • Food Action Accelerates Climate Action

    Currently, agrifood systems account for one-third of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions, 90 percent of global deforestation, 70 percent of water use globally, and are the single greatest cause of land biodiversity loss, putting pressure on food value chains. Transforming agrifood systems can significantly accelerate climate action and the achievement of the SDGs. By creating efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable agrifood systems we can mitigate and adapt to climate change, preserve biodiversity, and restore ecosystems, while also ensuring food security and better nutrition through healthy diets. This special prize focuses on the WFF 2023 Theme “Agrifood systems transformation accelerates climate action”. Using systems thinking, we challenge young researchers to propose innovative research on resilience-building solutions – either local or global – to transform agrifood systems and help mitigate climate shocks. The winners will receive visibility at the global WFF flagship event in October 2023, access to WFF and FAO global network, and the opportunity to publish their research through FAO.

 

 

Apply now!

Please note, applications are open in all six official languages of the United Nations (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish).

Five reasons to join the
WFF Transformative Research Challenge

Shortlisted innovators will be invited to present a lightning talk at the WFF flagship event taking place in October 2024, as well as benefit from the following:

  1. Mentoring: Twenty shortlisted teams will receive personalized mentorship from globally recognized experts in their field to help “translate” their concept note into a concrete research output (e.g. a research proposal for grant funding or research article for publication).
  2. Coaching: Each team will be coached in the preparation of the lightning talk for the final presentations.
  3. Networking: Participants will have access to a global audience of young leaders and organizations from the public and private sectors, including the United Nations.
  4. Visibility: The WFF will provide a platform for global youth to showcase innovative research ideas and approaches to a global audience. Shortlisted teams will be profiled on the WFF website, and have the chance to pitch their research project to a global audience and international expert panel on the WFF flagship event stage.
  5. Ongoing promotion: Shortlisted teams and the winner of the TRC may be included in additional learning and exposure activities associated with the WFF, such as a social media campaigns, case studies, and future events to foster ongoing visibility and encourage future development.

Call for Mentors and Expert Evaluators

Join TRC as Mentor and/or Expert Evaluator

Transformative Research in Action

Watch the TRC finals in:

2023         2022         2021

05 - Ideas from the 2021 TRC finalists

WFF Better Production TRC Award
innovation lab
TRC finalist 2021 - prod 1

Innovative Solution: "The pursuit of sustainable pork production: a metabolic approach"

Team member: Morgan Zumbaugh
Mentor: Mateus Mondin

innovation lab
TRC winner 2021 - Prebio-tech

TRC WINNER 2021
"Prebio-tech: scaling alternative protein with prebiotics"

Team Members: Chian-Wen Chan, Daniel Mahadzir, Mohd Fadzelly Abu Bakar, Nur Hafizah Malik, Aqilah Awg Abdul Rahman
Mentor: Antoine Affokpon

WFF Better Nutrition TRC Award
innovation lab
TRC finalist 2021 - nutr 1

Innovative Solution: "Addressing the demand gap for sweet biofortified with low cyanide content cassava varieties for the fresh market segment in Nigeria"

Team Members: Adenike Ige, Ismail Rabbi, Chinedu Nwoko, Ruth Uwugiaren, Moshood Bakare
Mentor: Dimas Rahadian Aji Muhammad

innovation lab
TRC finalist 2021 - nutr 2

Innovative Solution: "Utilizing natural variation to create healthier and more nutritious food"

Team Member: Maria Itria Ibba
Mentor: Hazel Fromm-Tatosian

WFF Better Environment TRC Award
innovation lab
TRC finalist 2021 - env 1

Innovative Solution: "Development of spatially explicit decision support systems to identify unexploited lands for sustainable cropland expansion responding to future food demands with minimum environmental impacts"

Team members: Elliott Dossou-Yovo, Komlavi Akpoti
Mentor: George Akoko

innovation lab
TRC winner 2021 - Irrigation

TRC WINNER 2021
"Understanding irrigation behavioural change as a result of adopting water saving technologies - a Case Study from Jordan"

Team members: Nafn Amdar, Arif Anwar
Mentor: Atef Swelam

WFF Better Life TRC Award
innovation lab
TRC finalist 2021 - life 1

Innovative Solution: "TRANSNUTCARE - nutrition care for transgender community"

Team members: Sara Marques da Costa, Telma Nogueira, Mariana Liñan Pinto, Vitória Dias da Silva
Mentor: Kaat Verplanken

innovation lab
TRC winner 2021 - Eradicate PPR

TRC WINNER 2021
"Eradicate Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) and improve the livelihood of smallholder farmers in developing countries. Evidence from Senegal"

Team member: Pacem Kotchofa
Mentor: Andrew Mang’ula

05 - 2023 TRC timeline

News

Meet our Transformative Research Challenge (TRC) 2023 winners
Meet our Transformative Research Challenge (TRC) 2023 winners
29/11/2023

Innovative researchers took center stage at the World Food Forum 2023, where the third edition of the Transformative Research Challenge (TRC) concluded.

WFF at the STI Forum 2023 - Youth Innovation: Bolstering Climate Action Through Agri-Food Systems Transformation in the Context of COVID-19 Recovery
WFF at the STI Forum 2023 - Youth Innovation: Bolstering Climate Action Through Agri-Food Systems Transformation in the Context of COVID-19 Recovery
09/05/2023

World Food Forum joined the 8th Multi-stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation for the SDGs to advocate for support of youth innovation...

World Food Forum 2022: Innovation Lab Highlights
World Food Forum 2022: Innovation Lab Highlights
08/11/2022

During the WFF annual flagship event, the Innovation Lab hosted its Transformative Research Challenge Finals, the Startup Innovation Awards finals,...

World Food Forum and Wageningen University & Research announce exciting collaboration plans aimed at empowering young innovators
World Food Forum and Wageningen University & Research announce exciting collaboration plans aimed at empowering young innovators
03/11/2022

During this year's WFF Transformative Research Challenge finals, the World Food Forum (WFF) and Wageningen University & Research (WUR) announced...

 

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