Montpellier SupAgro and several Agropolis International's members are setting up a chair in World Food Systems in Montpellier.

Labelled by the Unesco in May 2011, this chair should start at the automn 2011 owing to the financial support of Agropolis Fondation.

Around 30 training programs and research teams are working in food systems in Montpellier. The Unesco chair in World Food Systems, will be part of the Unitwin network which gathers around 12 foreign universities.

Jean-Louis Rastoin, Emeritus Professor at Montpellier SupAgro, is in charge of this project which is the outcome of a collaborative and pluridisciplinary work between professors and scientists from several Agropolis International's members l (CIHEAM/IAM.M, CIRAD, INRA, IRD, Montpellier SupAgro and the 3 Montpellier's universities - Montpellier 1 university, Montpellier 2 university, Montpellier 3 university ).

This chair's activities will focuse on 3 concepts:the right to food, food security and food sovereignty. This chair aims to contribute to build global sustainable food systems. To this view, the chair will develop knowledge generation by mobilizing the Unitwin network researches in biotechnology and social sciences.

• setting up of an academic program at Montpellier SupAgro and in the French and foreign institutions of the Unitwin network
• creation of a travelling training course on food security
• organization of an annual international seminar on a topical subject linked to world food
• creation of a website.

The World Food Systems chair has obtained this valuable label thanks to the active support of the UNESCO national French Commission and the support of Agropolis International's members, foreign universities, Agropolis Fondation, the Languedoc-Roussillon regional council and civil society stakeholders.