Following a $30 million grant to North Carolina State University, the Bezos Earth Fund has donated an equivalent amount to the Imperial College in London to be established as the Bezos Center for Sustainable Protein. The Center will involve interdisciplinary academic collaboration and will conduct research into fermentation, cell cultured meat, nutrition and technology and food production.

Dr. Hugh Brady, president of the Imperial College stated, “Food security is one of the biggest challenges facing humanity.  For a sustainable future we need to ensure that people across the world can be fed adequately and nutritiously with minimal impact on biodiversity, climate and a wider natural environment.”

The Bezos Earth Fund will distribute $100 million to develop sustainable protein alternatives in an attempt to restructure food production. The focus of research funded by the Bezos Earth Fund will be in the direction of displacing livestock agriculture and promotion of plant-based alternatives.

Throwing money at institutions does not necessarily translate to attaining lofty objectives.  It remains to be seen how Bezos Earth Fund supported research will lead to changes in world agriculture and consumption patterns.