Research at World Food Center - World Food Center

WFC and research

A number of substantive programmes are being prepared to support the WFC as a whole and the Experience in particular, including programmes relating to consumer research and food education.

Research programme
Research plays a vital role in innovation. Een transitie van voedselsystemen kan alleen door op een vernieuwende en andere manier met consumenten de uitdagingen aan te gaan. Het onderzoeksprogramma heeft als focus voeding in relatie tot gezondheid, consumentengedrag, co-creatie en duurzame/veilige voedselketen.

The WFC research programme is unique in the Netherlands thanks to the exclusive opportunity for large-scale consumer research amongst visitors to the WFC Experience. The UN’s FAO is also following the research programme with great interest.

The WFC research programme aims to better understand the impact of different communication strategies on consumers’ decision-making so as to be able to develop new and more effective information aids for professionals, governments and industry.

TiFN
Wageningen-based TiFN is the coordinator and Ronald Visschers, Managing Director of TiFN, is coordinating efforts aimed at creating a robust and unique research programme: ‘A well-informed, independent choice about your nutrition and diet is not easy. Try to combine healthy and sustainability, and you’ll be faced with all sorts of questions, like: are e-numbered ingredients good for me or bad? Is eating more protein good for my health? Are organic vegetables more sustainable than greenhouse alternatives?’

‘The WFC research programmes is uniquely designed to combine educational methods, intervention studies and participatory research into food choices. It will gauge the long-term impact and use the 330,000 visitors to the WFC to discover how consumers and citizens make decisions about food. Together, we will learn the best ways in which consumers can be informed, such as by social medial, games or participatory actions.’

There is still scope for businesses to take part in this special research programme. Interested? Get in touch with Ronald Visschers at Visschers@tifn.nl.