Opportunity: Designing Innovative Financial Solutions Across Nutritious Food Value Chains

The Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for services to support the design of innovative financial solutions across nutritious food value chains in Africa. This RFP invites qualified organisations or individuals to contribute to a strategic effort to diagnose and address financing barriers faced by actors along key nutritious food value chains—specifically vegetables, poultry, fish, and dairy—that are critical to improving access to healthy diets and strengthening food systems.

The assignment will involve analysing the financing needs of farmers, SMEs and distributors; reviewing existing financial solutions; and recommending practical, scalable financing models, including digital and non-digital options, to link food system actors with appropriate sources of capital. Proposals should also identify partnerships and pathways that can support implementation, with attention to supporting youth and women in food systems.

The RFP was issued on 28 January 2026 with a submission deadline of 18 February 2026 (23:59 CET). Interested applicants are encouraged to refer to the full RFP document for detailed background, scope, deliverables and submission instructions.

For more information and to access the full document, please visit the GAIN website and review the RFP.

3rd PNDS International Conference 2025: Nutri-Connect 2025

The 3rd PNDS International Conference – Nutri-Connect 2025, “Nutri-Connect 2025: Bridging the Gap between Clinical and Public Health Nutrition”, is scheduled for October 17–19, 2025, at the National University of Sciences & Technology (NUST), Islamabad, Pakistan.

Nutri-Connect 2025 is a transformative platform bringing together all relevant stakeholders to bridge the gap between clinical and public health nutrition. The conference will address theoretical and practical aspects of nutrition within Pakistan’s health system, disease landscape, and policy context.

Through evidence-based dialogue, policy advocacy, and cross-sector collaboration, Nutri-Connect 2025 aims to drive actionable solutions and advance nutrition science—from patient care to national health programs.

Objectives

  • To provide attendees with a holistic understanding of the relationship between dietary intake, health outcomes, and disease prevention from both clinical and public health perspectives.
  • To facilitate collaboration and knowledge exchange between nutrition researchers, clinicians, public health practitioners, and policymakers.
  • To advocate for the integration of nutrition into healthcare systems, policy, and medical education.
  • To provide networking and mentorship opportunities for students, early-career professionals, and institutions in nutrition and dietetics.

The following sub-themes serve as key pillars of the conference. Each represents an area where Clinical and Public Health Nutrition Intersect, reflecting the diverse yet interconnected challenges and opportunities within Pakistan’s nutrition landscape. However, Gender, empowerment and equity cut across all themes.

  • Malnutrition, NCDs, & Mental Health
  • Nutrition across the Lifespan: Prevention, Care, and Policy
  • Latest Trends in Clinical Nutrition Care: Explores the latest advancements in clinical nutrition, with a focus on integrating clinical care and public health to improve health outcomes.
  • Advancement in Critical & Specialized Nutrition Care
  • Sustainable Food Systems Transformation:
  • Health Promotion & Social Behavior Change Communication (SBCC)
  • Sports Nutrition & Health Outcomes
  • Nutraceuticals and Functional Foods: Aligning Evidence, Clinical Practice, and Regulation for Better Health
  • Advancement of Nutrition and Dietetic profession in Pakistan
  • Nutrition Policies, Governance, and Advocacy
  • Agriculture, Nutrition, and Health linkages
  • Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Digital Innovations in Clinical Practice and Public Health

Expected Outcomes

  • Increased collaboration between clinical and public health nutrition professionals
  • Greater awareness of nutrition’s role in disease prevention and health promotion
  • Policy recommendations for integrating nutrition into Pakistan’s healthcare and education systems
  • Enhanced skills and networks among emerging nutrition professionals
  • Showcasing of innovations and evidence-based interventions adaptable to Pakistan’s context

Target Audience

  • Clinical Dietitians & Nutritionists
  • Public Health Practitioners
  • Physicians and Healthcare Providers
  • Nutrition Researchers and Academicians
  • Health Policy Experts and Government Officials
  • NGOs and International Development Partners
  • Nutrition and Dietetics Students

Nutri-Connect 2025 is more than just a conference—it is a movement toward integration, innovation, and impact in the field of nutrition. By bridging clinical and public health perspectives, this event seeks to empower participants with the tools, knowledge, and networks needed to create a healthier, better-nourished Pakistan.

Micronutrient Forum Online Event: Use of MMS during Anaemia Treatment in Pregnancy

Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies (HMHB)  is pleased to present a series of 30-45-minute ‘Coffee and Chai Chats’ with experts in maternal nutrition and health.

These sessions offer a deep dive into topics related to maternal nutrition and MMS and the chance to ask LIVE questions to experts for more detailed responses and engagement than a normal webinar. Participants will be able to interact directly with practitioners in the field and identify additional needs for clarity or information.

Once registered, participants will be registered for the entire series and will keep receiving Zoom links to the chats as and when they are organized. Registrants are welcome to attend any number of chats. Each chat is independent of the others and not in continuation by topic. Stay tuned for information on upcoming chats.

Sign up for these engaging chats with experts and have your questions answered directly!

Join Bob Black and Endang Achadi on 16 April 2025 at 9 a.m. EDT / 3 p.m. CEST / 6:30 p.m. IST on

Expert Insights and Country Perspectives on the Use of MMS During Anemia Treatment in Pregnancy

Experts Bob Black (Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health) and Endang Achadi (Faculty of Public Health, Universitas Indonesia) will discuss the use of multiple micronutrient supplementation (MMS) during anemia treatment in pregnancy. They will share evidence, insights, and country perspectives on the guidance released by the Global MMS Technical Advisory Group. You will have the opportunity to ask questions live or share them in advance.

Register here

Navigating the ultra-processed food debate: Scientific Insights and ASEAN perspectives – IUFoST/FIFSTA Scientific Roundtable Discussion

IUFoST and FIFSTA are hosting a scientific roundtable discussion on Navigating the Ultra-processed Food Debate: Scientific Insights and ASEAN Perspectives. The discussion will take place on Tuesday, February 11, at 10:00 Singapore time (GMT+8).

This IUFoST-FIFSTA roundtable will examine the complex issues surrounding ultra-processed foods, bringing a scientific lens to the debate and addressing their implications for the ASEAN region. With a focus on bridging science policy and innovation, the discussion will highlight the critical role of food processing in ensuring food safety nutrition sustainability while challenging misconceptions about ultra-processed foods. By fostering interdisciplinary dialogue among leading experts and stakeholders the event seeks to provide a platform for ASEAN professionals to engage in evidence-based discussions paving the way for sustainable innovations in food processing and consumption.

Profiles and Presentation titles available here: https://iufost.org/news/profiles-and-presentations-fifstaiufost-srd-navigating-ultra-processed-food-debate-scientific

Registration Link

The 56th Annual National Conference of the Nutrition Society of India, themed “Transdisciplinary Approaches in Addressing Nutrition Challenges,” from 13th to 15th November 2024

The 56th Annual National Conference of the Nutrition Society of India (NSI), themed “Transdisciplinary Approaches in Addressing Nutrition Challenges,” from 13th to 15th November 2024 was a power-packed event with engaging workshops, technical sessions, Award-Lectures, plenary discussions, and networking opportunities.

Key Highlights from the Three-Day Conference

Day 1: 13th November 2024 – Pre-Conference Workshops

The pre-conference workshops were on specialized areas:

  • Workshop I:“Inner Balance: Exploring the Gut Microbiome’s Impact on Health”
    • Covered microbiome testing techniques, bacteriotherapy integration, and biomarker genes associated with Indian fermented foods.
    • Practical sessions on metagenome sequencing and analysis.
  • Workshop II:“Advancing Clinical Nutrition Assessment for Different Populations”
    • Explored enteral and parenteral nutrition with hands-on training and anthropometric assessments.
  • Workshop III:“Culinary Nutrition and Culinary Medicine”
    • Discussed sustainable eating, nutrient-dense ingredients, and food preparation techniques with renowned chefs and nutritionists.
    • Includes myth-busting sessions on ingredients and practical culinary demonstrations.

Day 2: 14th November 2024 – Inaugural and Technical Sessions

  • Inauguration Ceremony
    • Dignitaries, Dr. Vidya Yeravdekar (Pro-Chancellor, SIU), Dr. Sarath Gopalan (NSI President), and Dr. GM SubbaRao (NSI Secretary), and Prof. Atul Gokhale (Director-SSCANS) addressed the gathering at the inaugural function. Souvenir of the conference was released and vote of thanks was given by Dr. Kavitha Menon.
  • Exhibition Launch: Nutrition and food exhibition featuring innovations and interventions was inaugurated the participants explored the various stalls and counters.
  • Plenary Session:“Transdisciplinary Approaches in Addressing Nutritional Challenges”
    • Topics include food and supplements as therapy (Prof. Janusz Jankowski) and redefining dietary requirements in the Indian context (Dr. Anura Kurpad). The emphasis was on integrating multiple disciplines for better public health outcomes.
  • Parallel Technical Sessions:
    • Sessions were conducted parallelly and various themes were covered including:
      • Maternal and child nutrition.
      • Innovations in clinical nutrition.
      • Lifestyle diseases and their nutritional management.
      • The role of nutraceuticals and dietary supplements in health.

Day 3: 15th November 2024 – Symposia and Panel Discussions

Symposium on “Climate-Smart Nutrition”: Focused on sustainability in food systems, policies, and practices.

  • Panel Discussion on Public Health Nutrition: Experts discussed malnutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, and strategies for large-scale interventions.

Technical Sessions:

  • Nutrition and Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs): This session Addressed the role of diet in managing diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular diseases.
  • Emerging Technologies in Nutrition Research: Artificial intelligence, big data, and precision nutrition was another engaging session.
  • Poster and Oral Presentations: Showcased current research across diverse topics.
  • Awards and Recognition:

Several prestigious award lectures were delivered during the conference, showcasing groundbreaking research and contributions to the field of nutrition. 

  • The Dr. Rajammal P. Devadas Memorial Award Lecture, presented by Dr. Anuradha Khadilkar, Deputy Director at the Hirabai Cowasji Jehangir Medical Research Institute, Pune, focused on Establishing Anthropometric and Bone Health Norms for Optimising Health and Nutrition in Indian Children.
  • The Dr. Gopalan Memorial Oration Award, the most prestigious recognition of the conference, was delivered by Dr. Tahmeed Ahmed, Executive Director of the International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh. His lecture, titled Childhood Stunting – Should This Remain as Pervasive as Before? was both highly informative and profoundly innovative. Dr. Ahmed’s presentation offered fresh perspectives and actionable insights into combating childhood stunting, a critical global health challenge. His scholarly contributions exemplified the essence of this distinguished award, inspiring attendees to reimagine solutions for one of the most pressing issues in public health.
  • The Dr. B.K. Anand Memorial Award was presented to Dr. Som Nath Singh, Scientist ‘F’ at the Defence Institute of Physiology & Allied Sciences (DIPAS), New Delhi, in recognition of his contributions. 
  • The Dr. S.G. Srikantia Memorial Oration Award Lecture, a highly esteemed recognition, was delivered by Dr. G. Bhanuprakash Reddy, Scientist G and Head of the Biochemistry Division at ICMR-NIN, Hyderabad. His enlightening discourse on B-Vitamins and Age-Related Chronic Disorders captivated the audience with its depth and relevance. Dr. Reddy’s presentation seamlessly combined cutting-edge research with practical implications, offering a nuanced understanding of how essential micronutrients impact chronic health conditions. 

This prestigious lecture, along with others in the award series, showcased the unparalleled expertise of the speakers and emphasized the transformative potential of transdisciplinary approaches in tackling complex nutrition and health challenges.

  • Valedictory Function:

The conference concluded with Valedictory Function, marked by gratitude and camaraderie. The closing remarks by the Organizing secretary and President and the other conference leaders reflected on the enriching discussions, groundbreaking insights, and collaborative spirit that defined the event. Contributors were felicitated for their dedication and exceptional contributions, which played a pivotal role in the conference’s success. The ceremony resonated with a shared commitment to advancing the field of nutrition and fostering transdisciplinary partnerships.

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UN Nutrition Virtual Event 26 April 2023: Pursuing wins-wins for nutrition and the environment through a food systems approach

Side event – 4th Global Conference of One Planet network’s Sustainable Food Systems Programme

– INVITATION –

Date: Wednesday, 26 April 2023

Time: 6:00 p.m. ‒ 7:45 p.m. (GMT+7)

Registration link: https://bit.ly/40yijzq

Event co-organizers:

The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock of Costa Rica,
the Swiss Federal Office for Agriculture, UN-Nutrition,
the United Nations Environment Programme, ICLEI, Rikolto and
RUAF-Hivos

Join us for the launch of a new discussion paper that unpacks the crucial interlinkages between nutrition and the environment. Developed under the umbrella of UN-Nutrition, thanks to the United Nations Environment Programme and other Member Agencies, the paper also explores strategies and methodologies that policymakers and other stakeholders can draw on to foster collaborative, evidence-based governance to achieve mutually reinforcing goals.

This side event will be also an opportunity to hear from different cities and regions around the world about the actions they are taking and how they are yielding co-benefits for nutrition and the environment. With a mix of speakers from government, the United Nations and civil society (provisional agenda below), the event will incite a dynamic discussion about the way forward.

Provisional agenda


6:00‒6:03 PM Welcome and opening remarks
Roberto Azofeifa, Chief of the Agro-environmental Production Department, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, Costa Rica

6:03‒6:08 PM Objectives and agenda
Stineke Oenema, Executive Secretary of UN-Nutrition

6:08‒6:20 PM Setting the scene: Key messages of the paper
Steven Stone, Deputy Director of the Economy Division, UNEP

6:08‒6:20 PM Linking nutrition and the environment for people and the planet
Tom Arnold, Special Envoy for Food Systems, Ireland

6:25‒7:00 PM Panel: Local experiences on nutrition-environment interlinkages

  • Alwin Kopse (TBC), Head of International Affairs and Food Systems, Federal Office for Agriculture and National UNFSS Convener, The Swiss Confederation
  • Igor Barcellos, Food and Nutrition Security Coordinator of the Municipal Secretariat of Social Assistance, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
  • Rose Achieng, Agri-Nutrition Coordinator, Department of Agriculture, Kisumu County, Kenya
  • Nyoman Suma Artha, Director, Pasar Rakyat, Bali, Indonesia
  • Runyararo Esther Chibota, Hivos Regional Coordinator Urban Futures Programme, Hivos Hub SAf, Zimbabwe

7:00‒7:30 PM Q&A

Moderated by Stineke Oenema, UN-Nutrition Executive Secretary, with the audience and speakers

7:30‒7:40 PM Wrap-up
Nancy Aburto, Deputy Director of the Food and Nutrition Division, FAO
Representative of the Coalition of Action on Healthy Diets from Sustainable Food Systems for Children and All

7:40 ‒7:45 PM Closing remarks
Stineke Oenema, UN-Nutrition Executive Secretary

Additional information about this event and other virtual side events taking place between 24 April and 26 April is available here.

We hope that you will join us and encourage you to share this invitation with others in your network.

With warm regards,
The UN-Nutrition Secretariat

Event and call for abstracts: ISFANEA The 5th International Symposium on Food and Nutrition, Expo, And Awards 2023

Organized by The Food and Nutrition Society of Indonesia (PERGIZI PANGAN Indonesia), under the auspices of FANS, The 5th International Symposium on Food and Nutrition, Expo, And Awards 2023 takes place from 22- 24 June 2023 in Bogor, Indonesia. The theme is “Food and Nutrition Innovations for Sustainable Economy, Health and Well-being”.

Submit your abstract before 7 April 2023.

For more Information and to register visit:

International student scholarships – free registration for the 2nd PNDS International Conference

The 2nd International Conference of the Pakistan Nutrition and Dietetic Society: Triple burden of malnutrition – breaking the silos between the world of undernutrition and NCDS takes place Friday March 11-13, 2022, in Karachi, Pakistan.

Scholarships for students to attend the conference virtually are now available. These IUNS sponsored scholarships are available to international students at all degree levels and covers free registration to attend the conference virtually.

To apply:  

Email conference22regist@gmail.com with the subject title “IUNS Scholarship”.

All applicants must send the following information to be considered:

  1. Full name
  2. Institution name
  3. Email address
  4. Phone/WhatsApp number
  5. Scan of a valid student ID card

Apply Now

IUFoST 2022 Singapore Logo

Call for Papers: 21st IUFoST World Congress of Food Science & Technology

Abstract submission and competitions are open until 1st March 2022.

 The 21st IUFoST World Congress of Food Science & Technology takes place in Singapore 31 October – 3 November 2022.

Submit your abstract for the scientific programme under the following concurrent themes and sub themes

  • Agri and Aqua-Technology
  • Food Chemistry and Ingredients
  • Food Processing and Engineering
  • Future of Food Manufacturing
  • Food Packaging and Material Science
  • Supply Chain Management
  • Sensory and Consumer Science
  • Nutrition and Health
  • Traditional and Future Food
  • Food Safety and Regulatory Science
  • Public Private Partnership and Open Innovation
Submit Your Abstract
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IUNS International Workshop on Capacity and Leadership Development 2021

The IUNS Committee of Science Council of Japan held the IUNS International Workshop on Capacity and Leadership Development in Nutritional Sciences online on December 11th and 12th 2021 co-hosted with Japan Society of Nutrition and Food Science, The Japanese Society of Nutrition and Dietetics, and National Institute of Health and Nutrition, Japan.

The workshop was organized as a side event of the Nutrition for Growth Summit 2021. Former president of IUNS, Dr Anna Lartey, gave a statement on behalf of IUNS at the Summit. You can read more and watch her statement here.

This was the first time the IUNS Capacity and Leadership Development Workshop was held online. The event was a great success, and all the participants enjoyed the workshop and actively participating in the discussion.

Participants of the workshop watched 9 video lectures related to food system and nutrition intervention for sustainable healthy diets in advance in November and attended the workshop online on December 11th and 12th.

During the workshop, participants were divided into 6 groups in breakout rooms and discussed each topic after their brief self-introduction and country report. Then, one of the participants in each group presented the summary of discussion in the main room at the end of the workshop.

The IUNS Committee of Science Council of Japan prepared an abstract book that contains slides of 9 video lectures, participant country reports, and summaries of group discussion.

You can download the full abstract book here: