Sweden Collaborates with Israel on Food Innovation Amid Gaza Hunger Crisis
Sweden's food innovation partnership with Israel continues amid Gaza's hunger crisis, drawing criticism from within the government.
Key Points
- • Sweden collaborates with Israel on future food development while Gaza faces a hunger crisis.
- • Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard pledged to increase pressure on Israel regarding the situation in Gaza.
- • Government employees are critical of the collaboration amidst the humanitarian crisis.
- • Vinnova has formalized cooperation agreements and provides state funding for collaborative projects.
Sweden is actively pursuing a collaboration with Israel focusing on future food technologies despite the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where the populace is facing severe hunger. On August 6, 2025, Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard announced Sweden’s intention to increase diplomatic pressure on Israel regarding the humanitarian situation in Gaza, highlighting the stark contrast between Sweden's innovation efforts and the dire conditions just miles away.
Criticism is mounting from Swedish government employees who express discomfort with the juxtaposition of their collaborative projects on food innovation with a crisis affecting millions. Since the signing of an agreement in September 2022, Sweden's innovation agency, Vinnova, has committed state funding to initiatives that foster cooperation between Swedish and Israeli entities in health, technology, and food supply sectors. Vinnova has issued several calls for projects, providing substantial grants to support these efforts. Currently, Vinnova maintains personnel in Tel Aviv to facilitate ongoing collaborations, underlining Sweden's commitment to enhancing its food sector despite the criticism internally and externally due to the humanitarian implications in Gaza.