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Activity Funded

Linking Landscape, Environment, Agriculture and Food

Linking Landscape, Environment, Agriculture and Food

Reference
UID/04129/2025
Project Start Date
2025-01-01
Project End Date
2029-12-31
Principal Investigator
Scientific Area
Agricultural sciences
Funding Program
Avaliação UID 2023/2024

Abstract

LEAF (Linking Landscape, Environment, Agriculture and Food) is a Research Unit (RU) of the Portuguese Scientific Landscape, supported by FCT, based at the School of Agriculture (ISA) of the University of Lisbon (ULisboa) LEAF is guided by 4 core values: Excellence, Innovation, Ethical Behavior and Commitment to Society. LEAF currently has 250 researchers (full members, collaborators and PhD students), organised in 3 Research Groups (RGs), creating knowledge from landscape, soil and water management, through plant, animal and food sciences, to food and feed processing, co-producing innovation with stakeholders from the agricultural sector, natural resources management, and industry, to respond to societal needs, with a strong contribution to Planetary Health, and covering the whole food value chain. LEAF is therefore uniquely positioned to generate knowledge through a holistic approach. LEAF’s 3D dimensions are defined by climate neutrality, bioeconomy and Planetary Health, including smart and digital drivers. This demonstrates our global value chain approach from the territory to people, using SMART thinking at different scales, from biomolecules and cells to precision agriculture and landscape planning. LEAF is strongly committed to supporting the ongoing disruptive societal transitions, towards sustainable development, driven by AI integration, adoption of clean energy, and ensuring sustainable and affordable food systems. It is also attentive to the current demographic transitions, including human mobility (e.g., displacement and migration), growing peri-urban populations and ageing. Our work is aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the European Green Deal, the National Strategy for the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP) Roadmap. 5 Focal Strategic Areas (FSAs) were co-created with our Stakeholders and Scientific Advisory Committees, and thoroughly discussed with all LEAF members. These areas of research where LEAF will focus its future work will provide the best scientific evidence to support sustainable, healthy, tasty and affordable food, which is produced in a healthy and balanced landscape that respects the provision of ecosystem services. An international Scientific Advisory Committee, composed of internationally renowned scientists, and a Stakeholder Advisory Committee, composed of top CEOs of major Portuguese companies, are responsible for steering LEAF in the right scientific and societal direction and co-generating its strategy. For the period 2025-29, LEAF will continue its mission to strengthen the creation of transformative knowledge and subsequent knowledge transfer to support innovation for sustainableprogress, investing in communication and dissemination to end users, civil society and policy makers, following the principles of clear communication of science (i.e., short, simple, jargon-free communication).

Institutions

Main Institutions

  • Universidade de Lisboa Centro de Investigação em Agronomia Alimentos Ambiente e Paisagem (ULISBOA LEAF)
  • Universidade de Lisboa Instituto Superior de Agronomia (ISA/ULisboa)

Funding 1.186.402,73 €

Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) - Portugal

1.186.402,73 €