The EAT Foundation, founded by Gunhild Stordalen, is set to dissolve due to changing conditions in international funding, despite acknowledging significant past achievements.
The EAT Foundation, established by Gunhild Stordalen in Oslo in 2013, has announced its decision to dissolve its operations in its current format. This decision follows what Stordalen describes as the foundation's best year yet, highlighting a paradox in the timing of the announcement. The foundation's board attributes the dissolution to shifts in the environment for international funding, underscoring the challenges faced by nonprofit organizations in securing sustainable financial support amidst changing global dynamics.
Gunhild Stordalen stated that although the foundation achieved significant milestones in addressing food, health, and sustainability by placing these issues on the global agenda, it is essential to adapt to changing conditions. She emphasized the need for innovative approaches in contributing to urgent transitions related to these critical areas. The foundation has been instrumental in creating discussions around food, positioning it at significant global forums like the United Nations, a vision that Stordalen described in a 2022 interview as akin to establishing a 'Davos for food'.
Despite the challenges that led to the foundation's closure, Stordalen's reflections on the journey indicate a bittersweet victory, having succeeded in influencing the global narrative surrounding food. This raises questions about the future direction for initiatives that blend health, sustainability, and food security, and how new strategies might emerge to continue the foundation's legacy despite its dissolution.
