News Wageningen University & Research

Spending on sustainable food rises, share unchanged

Dutch consumers spent almost €15.6 billion on food with a sustainability label in 2025. This was 6% more than a year earlier.

National campaign about bequeathing to science and young talent

University Fund Wageningen and other university funds in the Netherlands are launching a joint national campaign this week on the theme of bequeathing to science and young talent.

Snacking is not as unhealthy as you might think

Snacking, it turns out, is not all about crisps, biscuits and chocolate. Dutch millennials often consume nutritious foods, such as fruit, bread and yoghurt, between their main meals.

Sustainable growing media: look beyond carbon footprints

A new harmonised dataset helps companies, researchers and policymakers compare raw materials and growing media mixes more effectively..

Millions in funding to put proteins from agricultural side streams back on our plates

A large consortium with Wageningen scientists are exploring how protein-rich side streams from the food industry can be turned into new foods.

Werner Koopman appointed special professor of Molecular Mitochondrial Bioenergetics

The executive board of WUR has appointed Prof. Dr. Werner Koopman as special professor of Molecular Mitochondrial Bioenergetics. The chair starts in September 2026 and is funded by Radboudumc.

Barry Rockx appointed to special chair in emerging viral diseases in animals

Barry Rockx investigates how emerging viruses cause disease and spread among livestock and wildlife, and how the risks of new outbreaks can be identified earlier.

UNCCD COP17 press release

Wageningen University’s Annah Lake Zhu Addressed Pastoral Futures at UNCCD COP17. Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia /26 August 2026 — Annah Lake Zhu, Associate Professor of Environmental Policy at Wageningen University & Research, took the stage as a featured panelist at the 17th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP17) in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. The session, titled Sustainable Rangeland Governance and Pastoral Futures, was held during Land Day in Tsagaadai Hall within the COP17 Green Zone. Co-organized by Wageningen University & Research alongside Conservation International, Public Foundation CAMP Alatoo, and WWF China, the 90-minute panel focused on practical pathways to strengthen resilient rangeland systems amid worsening land degradation, climate risks, and shifting rural livelihoods. As the opening speaker, Dr. Zhu discussed her research on Africa’s Great Green Wall in Senegal under the Cultural Heritage in Motion (www.cuhemo.org) project. She highlighted how inclusive policy design, pastoralist knowledge, and landscape restoration must work together to sustain livelihoods. Dr. Zhu contributed alongside an international lineup of experts: • Corle Swart, Conservation International (Herding for Health) • Maksat Miinazarov, Public Foundation CAMP Alatoo • Wang Jing, WWF Northeast China • Qian Wang (Moderator), WWF China The session concluded with shared priority messages and actionable next steps for advancing community-centered rangeland stewardship across Africa and Asia.

Lizzy Award gives four starting WUR entrepreneurs a chance to grow

Four WUR entrepreneurs win the Lizzy Award and €5,000 each to develop their innovative ideas through market research or prototypes.