Our work on SDG Goal 2: Zero Hunger
Learn about our recent progress and updates on how we're contributing to SDG 2: Zero Hunger.
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was adopted in 2015 by all United Nations member states. It provides a blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet.
Find out more about our work across all the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
About Zero Hunger
End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.
Research
Balancing food security and climate resilience in Vietnam
The Institute of Aquaculture (IoA) is leading AquaSOS, a £3.5 million BBSRC-NERC research project that aims to develop a digital tool to promote sustainable aquaculture in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam,. It's is one of the most important locations for shrimp production and the global leader in pangasius catfish farming.
This highly innovative and interdisciplinary project will provide essential information for researchers, industry and policymakers allowing them to balance environmental protection with food production. The new consortium brings together experts from across the UK and Vietnam to tackle emerging climate change issues that are affecting aquaculture sustainability, and seeks to improve responses to infectious disease whilst minimising negative impacts on water quality and biodiversity.
At Stirling, the research project is an exciting collaboration between the Earth Observation experts in the Division of Biological and Environmental Sciences (BES) and the Aquaculture experts in IoA, combining new scientific technologies and advancing innovation in Lower-Middle Income Countries.
Stirling’s role in sustainable fish farming in East Africa
The TRUEFISH project is a five-year development project, managed by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations (UN) and funded under the 11th European Development Fund (EDF11), to provide development opportunities and benefits to the East African Community.
The University of Stirling’s Institute of Aquaculture led on creating environmental models and setting carrying capacity limits for aquaculture zones in Lake Victoria. This work underpins a new aquaculture management plan for the Lake Victoria Fisheries Organisation and informs regulatory frameworks for Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.
By guiding sustainable fish farming, Stirling is helping to increase access to high-protein foods and strengthen food security - key steps toward achieving UN Sustainable Development Goal 2: Zero Hunger.
Crop pest resistance
Fighting crop pests without harming the planet: Stirling research offers a smarter way forward.
Protecting crops from insect pests is essential for global food security - but relying too heavily on chemical insecticides can harm the environment and lead to resistant pests. That’s why farmers are turning to nature-based solutions like fungal biopesticides. However, new research from the University of Stirling reveals that even these eco-friendly options aren’t immune to resistance.
Funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), Stirling scientists have discovered that planting a wider variety of crops could help slow down the evolution of pest resistance to biopesticides. By creating more diverse agricultural landscapes, farmers can trigger natural trade-offs in pest biology - making it harder for insects to adapt and survive.
This breakthrough could help extend the effectiveness of biopesticides, reduce reliance on chemicals, and support more sustainable farming practices worldwide.
Learning and teaching
Institute of Aquaculture
The Institute of Aquaculture (IoA) is an international centre in aquaculture and the largest of its kind in the world. It leads the world in a vision to tackle global problems of food security, hunger and sustainability through aquaculture. This has been recognised through the award of the Queen’s Anniversary Prize.
IoA has an international reputation for teaching, world-class research, technological innovation and consultancy in aquaculture. IoA’s degrees, such as the MSc Sustainable Aquaculture and BSc (Hons) Marine and Freshwater Biology, are training leaders of the future in sustainable aquaculture - vital sources of global nutrition. Through hands-on fieldwork and advanced study of marine biology, ecology, and taxonomy, students learn to assess and protect marine habitats and biodiversity. The curriculum emphasises sustainable aquaculture practices and includes international research collaborations and field projects, fostering global solutions to food security challenges.
The IoA also provides continuing professional development courses such as the two-day Fish Health and Welfare course which aims to equip aquaculture professionals with essential knowledge in fish health, welfare, disease prevention and sustainable salmon production - key components of responsible food systems. It plays a vital role in building a skilled workforce to support the sustainable growth of the aquaculture industry and combat global hunger.
University operations
Supporting staff and students with smarter food solutions
Stirling is tackling staff and student hunger head-on while embedding sustainability into campus life. The Grub’s Up programme, launched in 2024, offers students a heavily discounted catered package - healthy breakfasts and dinners five days a week. To make eating on campus even more accessible, the Campus Eats app provides staff and students with free hot drinks through a reward scheme and food discounts.
Stirling is also cutting food waste through its Too Good to Throw initiative, offering surplus meals at the end of each day for just 50p or £1. Across all food outlets, at least 25% of menu items are vegan or vegetarian, backed by a procurement strategy (2025-2030) that prioritises fresh, seasonal, and ethically sourced ingredients. Together, these efforts reflect Stirling’s commitment to food justice, affordability, and sustainability.
Stirling Students’ Union supports sustainable food access
The University of Stirling Students’ Union is advancing SDG 2: Zero Hunger through its Union Community Garden, a hands-on initiative that empowers students and staff to grow their own fresh produce on campus.
The garden promotes healthy eating, food education, and sustainable living, while building community through shared growing spaces and workshops. As part of its wider food sustainability efforts, the Union also helped redistribute over 14.8 tonnes of surplus food in 2024, preventing waste and supporting those facing food insecurity at for both staff, students and the wider community. Together, these initiatives reflect a strong commitment to accessible, ethical, and environmentally conscious food systems.
Civic engagement
Mapping a fairer food future: Stirling’s role in the Scottish Alliance for Food
The University of Stirling is a key contributor to the Scottish Alliance for Food (SCAF), a national, cross-sector initiative funded by the Scottish Government that aims to transform Scotland’s food systems. Professor Rachel Norman from Stirling leads the Mapping Theme, which plays a vital role in understanding the landscape of food insecurity across Scotland.
This theme gathers and analyses data to identify where hunger and inequality are most pressing, helping to inform targeted, evidence-based interventions. SCAF brings together experts from academia, industry, and the third sector to reimagine a food system that is healthful, equitable, and sustainable. In 2024, Professor Rachel Norman and Dr Peter Alexander led a workshop on their mapping theme. Stirling’s involvement reflects its civic commitment to SDG 2: Zero Hunger, using research and collaboration to bridge the gap between food producers, policymakers, and communities.
Growing Together: Stirling’s community food innovation
We are working with Clackmannanshire Council to transform derelict land near Alloa into a thriving space for sustainable food production. This community-led initiative uses renewable energy—including solar panels and rainwater harvesting—to power vertical growing systems that support year-round cultivation of fresh produce.
PhD students from Stirling are actively involved in modelling food system dynamics, exploring how different community groups interact with high-tech growing methods, and helping deliver training to schools and local organisations. All local schools who are involved in the initiative were provided with a small, table-top growing system in 2024 to replicate the larger-scale project.
The project provides hands-on learning, supports food security, and strengthens interdisciplinary research in food sustainability. By embedding academic expertise into local action, Stirling is helping build resilient, inclusive food systems.