Thünen Institute Launches New One Health Research Initiative for Sustainable Food Systems

On September 30, 2026, the Thünen Institute launched a new thematic focus on “One Health,” examining how human, animal, and environmental health interconnect within agricultural and food systems.

What we eat affects ecosystems, soils, and animals far beyond our immediate plates, the institute reported. By treating these spheres as parts of a single, shared system, the Braunschweig-based research institution aims to highlight the science and data needed to make food and farming systems sustainable for the future.

Thünen Institute Explores Interconnected Health Systems

Researchers from eight distinct Thünen branches are contributing expertise to the initiative through formats ranging from explanatory texts and infographics to podcasts. The participating divisions include Farm Economics, Market Analysis, Climate-Smart Agriculture, Agricultural Technology, Organic Farming, Sea Fisheries, Baltic Fisheries, and Fishery Ecology.

Nadine Kraft, head of press and public relations at the Thünen Institute, serves as the primary scientific contact for the campaign. The One Health focus is the fourth thematic priority undertaken by the institute, following previous series dedicated to women in rural areas, soil, and water.

Virtual Colloquium Addresses Food Waste Reduction Norms

The rollout opens with a virtual Thünen Colloquium on October 1, 2026, at 13:00, featuring Dr. Felicitas Schneider from the Thünen Institute of Market Analysis. Schneider will present details on the development of an ISO standard aimed at reducing food waste, a project she actively helped shape.

Following the kickoff, the institute’s website will publish materials covering topics such as the Planetary Health Diet, legumes and their climate benefits, animal welfare, circular economies, soil cultivation, and sustainable seafood. These dossiers are designed to serve as background material for public research and media reporting.

Pathways to Sustainable Agrifood Systems

Achieving a One Health agrifood system requires a blend of individual consumer habits and systemic political shifts. Some proposed solutions rely on improving operational efficiency, such as cutting food waste, while others redesign entire frameworks through circular economies.

Additional strategies range from traditional dietary shifts—such as choosing a Sunday roast over daily meat consumption—to advanced technologies like indoor farming and alternative proteins derived from algae, mussels, and insects.

The virtual colloquium titled “Lebensmittelverluste reduzieren: Von der Norm in die Praxis” takes place online on October 1, 2026.