- Italy
- Barilla Center for Food and Nutrition, Education, Department MemberISIA ROMA, Systems Design, Department MemberScuola Politecnica Di Design, Master Course in Food Design, Department Memberadd
- Researcher, lecturer, consultant, and designer in the fields of education, sustainable food design, innovation in the agri-food sectoredit
Transdisciplinary Case Studies on Design for Food and Sustainability, a volume in the Consumer Science and Strategic Marketing series, analyzes the interconnectivity of sustainability, food, and design, demonstrating the presence of food... more
Transdisciplinary Case Studies on Design for Food and Sustainability, a volume in the Consumer Science and Strategic Marketing series, analyzes the interconnectivity of sustainability, food, and design, demonstrating the presence of food design in various food-related fields of study. Broken into six parts, the book begins with the theory behind food and design. The following five sections include several case studies highlighting the different forms and applications of food design, including the use of food design in production and distribution, in food and restaurant businesses, in territory-identity, in social food design, and with regard to post-consumption. Using a case study approach to meet the needs of both academics and practitioners, Transdisciplinary Case Studies on Design for Food and Sustainability includes practical examples to illustrate food system challenges, to explain phenomena, and to build theory.
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This is not a book about food design. Instead, it focuses on the transdisciplinarity of design and its application in the agri-food sector. This book presents design as a combination of methods for teaching, learning, experimenting, and... more
This is not a book about food design. Instead, it focuses on the transdisciplinarity of design and its application in the agri-food sector. This book presents design as a combination of methods for teaching, learning, experimenting, and implementing to fulfill the requirements of the transformation and innovation we see in the fields of food systems and sustainability. By exploring a collection of different cases, this book explains the concept of design in a way that is accessible even to scholars and practitioners who are not designers, as an approach that forces to set aside technology and helps to process and problem-solve in a transdisciplinary and creative way. This selection of cases will be helpful for educators and students of any subject seeking to broaden their perspective and improve their professional careers. It will also be useful for professors and instructors who require inspirational tools and concepts to introduce complex subjects, such as transdisciplinarity and food sustainability, in their classrooms.
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The pandemic that has impacted on our Planet in 2020 has shown that new business models, collaboration techniques, and exponentially growing design technologies are needed to open up to alternative, unconventional models of collaboration... more
The pandemic that has impacted on our Planet in 2020 has shown that new business models, collaboration techniques, and exponentially growing design technologies are needed to open up to alternative, unconventional models of collaboration throughout all stages of the food supply chain. The case studies presented in this book aimed at explaining the fact that designing is more than just creating food products and services; it can be applied to sustainable food systems, procedures, protocols, professional interaction, educational models, and user experiences. Applying design methods to the agri-food sector means improving the quality of the lives of people and the planet by involving both analytical approaches and the creative imagination. Design methods can re-define current values usefully, develop new ways of working and thinking, reset the way we lead, manage, create, and innovate food sustainability. In this concluding chapter the role of design is underlined as well as the current urgency to change the mindsets of professionals in favour of a more systemic vision, closer to the needs of nature is summed up.
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Teaching sustainability in higher education is far from being an easy task. The idea of sustainability itself risks remaining an abstract and out-of-reach concept unless it is taught to develop practical solutions. Lecturers approaching... more
Teaching sustainability in higher education is far from being an easy task. The idea of sustainability itself risks remaining an abstract and out-of-reach concept unless it is taught to develop practical solutions. Lecturers approaching sustainability in higher education, often do not have the overall knowledge and resources to effectively present the topic to their students. This chapter presents the principles needed to develop a new pedagogy for sustainability accounting for the role of empathy. The teaching approach is developed starting from the use of the Food Sustainability Index (FSI) as an educational tool – named FSI Edu – for teaching food sustainability in higher education settings. FSI assesses food sustainability adopting a systematic approach and showing the complexity of food sustainability issues. After a theoretical introduction, the chapter describes two experiments based on the FSI Edu at the Bachelor and Master Degree level. These experiments built the starting point for an educational model – named EOE – to foster the empathic process: its three steps are key for sustainability teaching in higher education.
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To be fully grasped, the concept of sustainability needs to be brought to life through practical applications. Food represents an ideal starting point to examine the complexity of sustainability; the integration of dimensions such as... more
To be fully grasped, the concept of sustainability needs to be brought to life through practical applications. Food represents an ideal starting point to examine the complexity of sustainability; the integration of dimensions such as nutrition, environment, society, and economics, and related perspectives, is fundamental for a sustainable transition. New transdisciplinary competences are needed to go beyond the state of the art. In this context, empathy and design thinking (DT) can effectively contribute in teaching sustainability of food systems. This chapter presents three case studies to test an innovative pedagogical model based on the coupling of DT with a systemic and empathic approach (including empathy toward yourself, toward others, and the whole planet). This proves to be effective in increasing both the understanding of the complexity of food sustainability and the agency of youth. Furthermore, the chapter presents recommendations for integrating such approach into food sustainability education.
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Food waste represents one of the main issues undermining the sustainability of our food systems, which is why its minimization has been comprised among the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN’s 2030 Agenda. Some researchers... more
Food waste represents one of the main issues undermining the sustainability of our food systems, which is why its minimization has been comprised among the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN’s 2030 Agenda. Some researchers have begun to link the concepts of food waste and food security with well-being, suggesting that if individuals reduce their food waste, they can improve their well-being and that of the community and contribute to the achievement of different SDGs. Yet, few researches have so far looked at a concrete link between food waste initiatives, consumer engagement, and well-being, and few if any studies have analyzed design thinking and food waste, a gap which the present chapter seeks to fill.
The number of companies that have decided to face a radical change in their business model is growing. Today more than ever, due to the economic crisis that will follow the current pandemic due to COVID-19, as well as social and environmental concerns, it is urgent to rethink the traditional economic model and craft a more responsible and regenerative economy.
Companies must become increasingly capable of combining business with attention to creating shared value, involving end users, to collaborate in achieving sustainable development goals. Without giving up their profits, businesses must make a greater positive impact on individuals and society.
Based on the fact that digital solutions are a good way to minimize consumer food waste (Secondi et al. 2019), this chapter presents an analysis of the Too Good To Go app. The app is helping, encouraging, and motivating users to engage in food waste reduction, while persuading a smaller group to start taking concrete action to reduce waste. Nevertheless, to increase the impact on food waste reduction, additional action and a broader engagement on the part of businesses are strongly needed.
In this context, this chapter presents a new framework CEASE that deploys design thinking for the purpose of reducing food waste while aiming to build a community of conscious consumers that actively engage in food waste prevention actions.
This chapter argues that the use of the CEASE framework will inform an improved understanding of how empathy and creativity, two main determinants of the design thinking approach, can be used to promote healthier and sustainable food behaviors and at the same time reduce food waste and improve individuals’ well-being by designing groundbreaking food experiences.
Every year, 1.3 billion tons of food is wasted along the food supply chain (FSC), from cultivation and production to final consumption causing significant economic, environmental, and social harm. This chapter presents a new framework CEASE that deploys design thinking for the purpose of reducing food waste while aiming to build a community of conscious consumers that actively engage in food waste prevention actions. This chapter argues that the use of the CEASE framework will inform an improved understanding of how empathy and creativity, two main determinants of the design thinking approach, can be used to promote healthier and sustainable food behaviors and at the same time reduce food waste and improve individuals’ well-being by designing groundbreaking food experiences.
The number of companies that have decided to face a radical change in their business model is growing. Today more than ever, due to the economic crisis that will follow the current pandemic due to COVID-19, as well as social and environmental concerns, it is urgent to rethink the traditional economic model and craft a more responsible and regenerative economy.
Companies must become increasingly capable of combining business with attention to creating shared value, involving end users, to collaborate in achieving sustainable development goals. Without giving up their profits, businesses must make a greater positive impact on individuals and society.
Based on the fact that digital solutions are a good way to minimize consumer food waste (Secondi et al. 2019), this chapter presents an analysis of the Too Good To Go app. The app is helping, encouraging, and motivating users to engage in food waste reduction, while persuading a smaller group to start taking concrete action to reduce waste. Nevertheless, to increase the impact on food waste reduction, additional action and a broader engagement on the part of businesses are strongly needed.
In this context, this chapter presents a new framework CEASE that deploys design thinking for the purpose of reducing food waste while aiming to build a community of conscious consumers that actively engage in food waste prevention actions.
This chapter argues that the use of the CEASE framework will inform an improved understanding of how empathy and creativity, two main determinants of the design thinking approach, can be used to promote healthier and sustainable food behaviors and at the same time reduce food waste and improve individuals’ well-being by designing groundbreaking food experiences.
Every year, 1.3 billion tons of food is wasted along the food supply chain (FSC), from cultivation and production to final consumption causing significant economic, environmental, and social harm. This chapter presents a new framework CEASE that deploys design thinking for the purpose of reducing food waste while aiming to build a community of conscious consumers that actively engage in food waste prevention actions. This chapter argues that the use of the CEASE framework will inform an improved understanding of how empathy and creativity, two main determinants of the design thinking approach, can be used to promote healthier and sustainable food behaviors and at the same time reduce food waste and improve individuals’ well-being by designing groundbreaking food experiences.
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L'Osservatorio sul Dialogo nel Sistema Agroalimentare, promosso da Federazione dei Dottori in Agraria e Forestali, Passiinsieme, Rete del Festival Cerealia ed ENEA, ha cercato possibili soluzioni alle difficoltà di dialogo emerse negli... more
L'Osservatorio sul Dialogo nel Sistema Agroalimentare, promosso da Federazione dei Dottori in Agraria e Forestali, Passiinsieme, Rete del Festival Cerealia ed ENEA, ha cercato possibili soluzioni alle difficoltà di dialogo emerse negli ultimi anni tra attori del sistema agroalimentare e mondo della ricerca scientifica. Una serie di incontri condotti con approccio partecipativo da facilitatori professionisti ha permesso di giungere alla stesura di un manifesto e alla individuazione di una serie di obiettivi ed azioni condivise, pensate per la sostenibilità del sistema agroalimentare. La larga e diversificata partecipazione di portatori di interesse ha reso il percorso molto ricco in termini di confronto, costruzione del consenso, chiarificazione dei termini del problema, individuazione di possibili soluzioni. Questa pubblicazione documenta in modo fedele il percorso e i risultati ottenuti dall’Osservatorio. La metodologia partecipativa utilizzata consente inoltre una riflessione sui possibili percorsi da seguire per l’accettabilità sociale dei risultati della ricerca, testimoniando di come il dialogo sia un requisito essenziale per il funzionamento della società in generale.
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Echi Oltremare:Italy, the Mediterranean... And Beyond At a time when Western values and Italianness are increasingly challenged by the forces of globalization, it is necessary to reconsider former epistemologies of space and ontologies of... more
Echi Oltremare:Italy, the Mediterranean... And Beyond At a time when Western values and Italianness are increasingly challenged by the forces of globalization, it is necessary to reconsider former epistemologies of space and ontologies of identity that now seem to be obsolete. In this context, the Mediterranean paradigm is (re)-emerging as a crucial framework through which Italy can re-examine its cultural traditions, while charting future paths based on the transnational exchanges with other cultures from the Mediterranean basin. Italian diasporic experiences - especially to the Americas - also assume a particular relevance. Even in the past, by leaving their homes Italian emigrants have always challenged traditional boundaries of nationality and ethnicity, triggering complex processes of negotiation of identity. In un contesto socio-culturale in cui i valori occidentali e l’italianità sono quotidianamente problematizzati dai vari effetti della globalizzazione, è opportuno riconsiderare certe epistemologie che appaiono ormai obsolete e non più applicabili ad uno spazio i cui cui confini sono sempre più porosi, e ad una identità la cui ontologia è sempre più sfaccettata. In questo contesto, il paradigma mediterraneo non può che ri-emergere come una prospettiva ideale dalla quale l’Italia può ri-esaminare le sue antiche tradizioni culturali, senza per questo rinunciare ad esplorare nuovi percorsi socio-culturali basati sul confronto transnazionale con altre culture del bacino mediterraneo. La stessa esperienza della diaspora italiana (specie verso le Americhe) assume poi una rilevanza particolare. Già in passato, infatti, gli emigranti italiani che lasciavano il paese erano costretti a sfidare e superare i confini della nazione e dell’etnia, dando il via ad un proficuo processo di negoziazione identitaria.
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In un contesto socio-culturale in cui l’italianità è quotidianamente problematizzata dagli effetti della globalizzazione ed in cui il termine autenticità viene abusato e mal interpretato, è opportuno riconsiderare certe epistemologie che... more
In un contesto socio-culturale in cui l’italianità è quotidianamente problematizzata dagli effetti della globalizzazione ed in cui il termine autenticità viene abusato e mal interpretato, è opportuno riconsiderare certe epistemologie che appaiono ormai obsolete e non più applicabili ad uno spazio i cui cui confini sono sempre più porosi, e ad una identità la cui ontologia è sempre più sfaccettata. In questo contesto, il paradigma mediterraneo non può che ri-emergere come una prospettiva ideale dalla quale l’Italia può ri-esaminare le sue antiche tradizioni culturali, senza per questo rinunciare ad esplorare nuovi percorsi socio-culturali basati sul confronto transnazionale con altre culture del bacino mediterraneo. La stessa esperienza della diaspora italiana (specie verso le Americhe) assume poi una rilevanza particolare. Già in passato, infatti, gli emigranti italiani che lasciavano il paese erano costretti a sfidare e superare i confini della nazione e dell’etnia, dando il via ad un proficuo processo di negoziazione identitaria.
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Cities are changing. Wars, climate change and idealised better life opportunities open the doors for massive migration. Unfortunately, however, the new arrivals with their different backgrounds and lifestyles are often perceived as a... more
Cities are changing. Wars, climate change and idealised better life opportunities open the doors for massive migration. Unfortunately, however, the new arrivals with their different backgrounds and lifestyles are often perceived as a threat to pre-existing culture and home. But what is ‘home’? From the results of ethnographic research and an online open survey conducted for a master’s degree final thesis in systemic design, ‘home’ is the neighbourhood that involves all the values and behaviours that everyone needs in their everyday life. This research led to the academic concept of the ‘neighbourhood home’, a system of new environments for future inclusive cities that aims to make all the inhabitants ‘feel at home’. This notion is based on the idea that inclusion is developed through empathy, creativity and know-how, discovering the cultural rituals and myths of different peoples. In every structure (like Homes of Music, Language, Clothing, etc.), new and old citizens can rediscover their common roots, which have always been, today as yesterday, interconnected through a multiplicity of cultural handicraft expressions. The pilot project designed is ‘MeetEat’, a home that promotes informal cooking classes and social eating and is ingredient-driven (chosen on a seasonal basis) and organised by volunteer citizens in the neighbourhood. With the neighbourhood home’ thesis, we aim to propose a system that can turn diffidence into curiosity, conflicts into sharing and exclusion into caring.
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Educating to active citizenship implies providing the youth with knowledge and tools necessary to build a sustainable and inclusive future for their communities and their planet, consistent with 2030 Agenda’s intent. Through the language... more
Educating to active citizenship implies providing the youth with knowledge and tools necessary to build a sustainable and inclusive future for their communities and their planet, consistent with 2030 Agenda’s intent. Through the language of food and thanks to the work of teachers and educators it is possible to stimulate a critical and proactive approach as well as to facilitate a long-lasting change in the new generations for the diffusion of a sustainability culture focused on systemic actions.
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Educating young people to active citizenship is becoming a priority to make better informed choices and promote sustainable behaviours. Food system information provides a good example, because the way we eat is linked to our health and... more
Educating young people to active citizenship is becoming a priority to make better informed choices and promote sustainable behaviours. Food system information provides a good example, because the way we eat is linked to our health and the one of Planet. In Italian schools, the number of available food education modules is growing. However, most of them stress purely nutritional aspects and focus on the food system is relatively sparse. This paper presents an innovative way of teaching and develop global citizenship competences through food with a project called “We, Food, Our Planet”.
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Relationship between human beings and food, food experience and eating behaviors, and food supply chain and post-consumption activities, respond to a complex system of situational factors and choices that individuals make, often based on... more
Relationship between human beings and food, food experience and eating behaviors, and food supply chain and post-consumption activities, respond to a complex system of situational factors and choices that individuals make, often based on patterns that are intangible or not easily predictable. Public concern about food access and food security issues is increasing, everywhere in the world.
Food in its complexity must be studied and managed in a systemic and trans-disciplinary manner. Thus, understanding the role of design in the agri-food sector becomes fundamental. We need to design for more sustainable diets if we want to save the planet.
But there is a positive side to this story and that is there are several professions based on creativity that can make a difference. The professions of sustainability, where humanity is synonymous with a solution, and where food goes hand in hand with innovative systems. Among these, the food designer seems to be a promising career for future professionals who want to apply their skills beyond the food sector, such as the cross-cutting sectors suggested by the UN Agenda 2030 through the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
For this brief contribution, I decided to start from the conclusion of my keynote speech recently given at the 2nd International Food Design and Food Studies Conference entitled “Experiencing FOOD: Designing Sustainable and Social Practices”, in Lisbon 1 .
The conclusion of my speech was a call to action addressed to everybody, and particularly to designers and innovators who deal with the agri-food sector:
“we have to design and propose visionary scenarios. We should inspire the humans. Maybe we should shock them. Or only hardly touch them. But only through our futuristic design projects and ideas will we be able to teach today’s generations that a different world is possible. We could show them that a sustainable world is not only imaginable, but also achievable. We need to design our revolutionary future world from today. We need to envision sustainable scenarios. We must inspire the contemporary humanities on what the potential values of sustainability could be. More than before, today change makers need to be inspired by the future”.
Sustainability must become a human value soon.
Food in its complexity must be studied and managed in a systemic and trans-disciplinary manner. Thus, understanding the role of design in the agri-food sector becomes fundamental. We need to design for more sustainable diets if we want to save the planet.
But there is a positive side to this story and that is there are several professions based on creativity that can make a difference. The professions of sustainability, where humanity is synonymous with a solution, and where food goes hand in hand with innovative systems. Among these, the food designer seems to be a promising career for future professionals who want to apply their skills beyond the food sector, such as the cross-cutting sectors suggested by the UN Agenda 2030 through the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
For this brief contribution, I decided to start from the conclusion of my keynote speech recently given at the 2nd International Food Design and Food Studies Conference entitled “Experiencing FOOD: Designing Sustainable and Social Practices”, in Lisbon 1 .
The conclusion of my speech was a call to action addressed to everybody, and particularly to designers and innovators who deal with the agri-food sector:
“we have to design and propose visionary scenarios. We should inspire the humans. Maybe we should shock them. Or only hardly touch them. But only through our futuristic design projects and ideas will we be able to teach today’s generations that a different world is possible. We could show them that a sustainable world is not only imaginable, but also achievable. We need to design our revolutionary future world from today. We need to envision sustainable scenarios. We must inspire the contemporary humanities on what the potential values of sustainability could be. More than before, today change makers need to be inspired by the future”.
Sustainability must become a human value soon.
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We are currently living in the past and the future at the same time. We are living in a moment of uncertainty that is seemingly suspended in an unstable present. This paper aims to reflect on the effect of time on the combination of food... more
We are currently living in the past and the future at the same time. We are living in a moment of uncertainty that is seemingly suspended in an unstable present. This paper aims to reflect on the effect of time on the combination of food and design. The work of food designers intrinsically incorporates the idea of the future. We could say, to use a provocative expression, that food designers are obsessed with future food. While the term "sustainability" is not yet a global priority, Covid-19 has brought to light its oldest value, that is, one linked to the idea of time. Sustainability is in fact defined as the ability to maintain in the long term the ecological processes that happen within an ecosystem. For this motive, "sustainable development" means taking responsibility, in particular towards the next generations. This paper briefly details how during the lockdown in 2020 in Italy, ElleDecor (a renowned architecture and design magazine) wanted to hold event an exhibition on food and design. Because of Covid-19, the FabFood exhibition was completely developed online (https://fabfood.elledecor.it/). The event aimed to feed the international debate on the inequities and paradoxes that characterize the agrifood system and to raise doubts and generate ideas for the current research in food design. Autoctonario, a South American project is presented as part of the exhibition. Inspired by the exhibition concept, this article concludes by providing five contemporary ideas of time and responsibility for the future of food design.
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In the past 20 years, two new disciplines have been created and have evolved, first as two separate subjects, and now more and more interconnected: food studies and food design studies. The motive behind the recent success and popularity... more
In the past 20 years, two new disciplines have been created and have evolved, first as two separate subjects, and now more and more interconnected: food studies and food design studies. The motive behind the recent success and popularity of education in the agri-food sector lies in the fact that everywhere in the world, the boundaries around the world of food and nutrition have widened. More attention is dedicated to communication, proximity, connections, social and cultural values, and the construction of new food systems. There is a growing need to find new ways to defeat food paradoxes (malnutrition, non-sustainable production systems and the battle against food waste, to name a few). In the past 10 years, the design method has been consolidating into the field of food. Participatory design and co-creation in food experience design became popular along with the discipline of food design. However, the interest in emerging and innovative forms of teaching models in academic and non-academic scenarios in agri-food education is increasing and becoming a challenging issue in food studies pedagogy. The learning objectives of food system education are continuously redefined with the aim of providing food experts with the necessary skills to change food systems and support more sustainable and healthier food value chains. In this article four case studies are presented in which a design approach was applied into different food system education programmes. The author of this article has personally been involved in each of the four scenarios, as a teacher and as a designer. Complex questions concerning the intersection of food system educational contexts, collaboration skills, critical knowledge production and creative approaches are considered in this article. The author presents the dimensions of critical/creative thinking in the scenarios and concludes with a discussion of the challenges and resources for food studies and design educators. The lessons learned in this article provide a starting point for discussing creativity in food system learning and education. On the basis of the analysis carried out in this article, design appears to be an interesting research method to apply to food system education, capable of creating innovative interactions between disciplines and new critical and creative mindsets for food experts. Increasing creativity and critical thinking as learning objectives in food system education will generate more sustainable food cultures and communities.
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Policy makers dealing with food issues are currently faced with a number of challenges. International cooperation and a global consensus on public food policy is very relevant if such challenges are to be tackled. The convergence of such... more
Policy makers dealing with food issues are currently faced with a number of challenges. International cooperation and a global consensus on public food policy is very relevant if such challenges are to be tackled. The convergence of such policies can be fostered also through bottom-up initiatives, which can become catalysts of change. The Barilla Center for Food and Nutrition Foundation has been involved with the topic of sustainability within the agri-food sector since 2009. It produces reports and publications with the goal of delivering scientifically valuable information to the general public. The work of the BCFN Foundation focuses on three main global issues: malnutrition and obesity, food waste, and sustainable agriculture. These three pillars also form the foundation of the Milan Protocol, a policy document developed with a bottom-up approach that aims to be implemented at a global level and has a mission to improve the overall sustainability of the food sector. The Milan Protocol fundamentally contributes to the Milan Charter, a global food policy proposal resulting from EXPO, serving as a best practice example in moving from theory to concrete action in the field of global public food policy.
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Il testo propone una riflessione di ampio respiro sui temi dello sviluppo tecnologico nel settore alimentare e del suo rapporto con la società e i territori, evidenziando il ruolo delle ideologie e della critica del design: sia attraverso... more
Il testo propone una riflessione di ampio respiro sui temi dello sviluppo tecnologico nel settore alimentare e del suo rapporto con la società e i territori, evidenziando il ruolo delle ideologie e della critica del design: sia attraverso la lettura dei fenomeni da parte di esperti, sia di comunità che hanno espresso attività culturalmente mediate e situate nel quadro del sistema globalizzato del cibo. Il saggio nel suo complesso delinea l’evoluzione del rapporto design e alimentazione dalla seconda metà dell’800 all’attualità, nel contesto italiano e del Nord America. Gli esempi qui presentati dimostrano come la transizione verso una società di massa abbia fornito un ambiente fertile per far interagire il mondo del cibo e quello del design. Nel suo sviluppo, il food design si è andato consolidando come un ambito di studi interdisciplinare che nel rispetto della diversa natura culturale dei contesti ha individuato appropriate linee di ricerca.
Rispetto al passato, la contemporaneità propone una realtà in cui le culture contestuali si ibridano e in cui convivono la dimensione locale e quella globale, il naturale e il tecnologico, l’analogico e il digitale, l’industriale e l’artigianale. Aumentano gli spazi del progetto in cui studiosi del cibo e del design (assieme a esperti di altre discipline) possono trovare un terreno comune di studi per contribuire con responsabilità alla diffusione di culture alimentari più sostenibili e meno dannose per le generazioni future.
Rispetto al passato, la contemporaneità propone una realtà in cui le culture contestuali si ibridano e in cui convivono la dimensione locale e quella globale, il naturale e il tecnologico, l’analogico e il digitale, l’industriale e l’artigianale. Aumentano gli spazi del progetto in cui studiosi del cibo e del design (assieme a esperti di altre discipline) possono trovare un terreno comune di studi per contribuire con responsabilità alla diffusione di culture alimentari più sostenibili e meno dannose per le generazioni future.
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According to a popular aphorism, biometrics are turning the human body into a passport or a password. As usual, aphorisms say more than they intend. Taking the dictum seriously, we would be two: ourself and our body. Who are we, if we are... more
According to a popular aphorism, biometrics are turning the human body into a passport or a password. As usual, aphorisms say more than they intend. Taking the dictum seriously, we would be two: ourself and our body. Who are we, if we are not our body? And what is our body without us? The endless history of identification systems teaches that identification is not a trivial fact but always involves a web of economic interests, political relations, symbolic networks, narratives and meanings. Certainly there are reasons for the ethical and political concerns surrounding biometrics but these reasons are probably quite different from those usually alleged.
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In this short paper, I would like to present the main concepts explained in the MOOC module ‘’A job for the future: the ‘food designer’ and the ‘innovation bróker in agriculture’’’. The following is an updated transcription of the speech... more
In this short paper, I would like to present the main concepts explained in the MOOC module ‘’A job for the future: the ‘food designer’ and the ‘innovation bróker in agriculture’’’. The following is an updated transcription of the speech that was used for the MOOC lesson with further insights on the covered topics.
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Research Interests: Education and Food Design
Opportunities for design have increased in the past 20 years and designers are currently investigating how to build new food systems and social interactions to incentivize producers, distributors and eaters towards healthier and more... more
Opportunities for design have increased in the past 20 years and designers are currently investigating how to build new food systems and social interactions to incentivize producers, distributors and eaters towards healthier and more sustainable behaviors. The term “design” in this paper is not used in terms of the creation or styling of an artifact or product, but rather as a formalized thinking process running from problem framing into human-based research, analysis of research findings resulting in new insights, and synthesizing the insights into new ways of approaching solution development.In this paper, two case studies will be presented. The first case study is a project called Youth Manifesto (YM)1 launched by the Barilla Center for Food and Nutrition (BCFN) Foundation in 2015. The YM is the result of four creative design thinking sessions where a group of eighty international young students and researchers with different academic backgrounds worked together with experts on food and sustainability to come up with a potential model for a “sustainable native” society. The text of the YM contains seven specific proposals for professions that will have decision-making roles for future food sustainability. The YM was designed to impact world leaders, and to encourage responsibility from today’s young generation, who will be the leaders of tomorrow. During the YM creative sessions, design was used as a transdisciplinary research method to allow different professional categories to collaborate and create systemic and innovative solutions for a more sustainable food supply chain.The second case study is a Food Design Workshop inspired by the YM principles, where 20 international young food designers worked together to envision instruments and scenarios for future food educators. Teaching food to sustainable natives means designing pedagogical tools that take into account the social, cultural and environmental values of food.
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In the past 10 years I worked with my Food Studies and Food Design students, theoretically and empirically, to understand the connections and relationships between human values, food and design.In this short article I listed some... more
In the past 10 years I worked with my Food Studies and Food Design students, theoretically and empirically, to understand the connections and relationships between human values, food and design.In this short article I listed some questions to which I have tried to answer and that have often been the starting point of my discussions with students, designers and food experts. The following questions are still open, and the answers are not exhaustive, but rather, they aim to open an international debate on what is the nature and what will be the future development of Food Design. Does food design need a definition? Does food need design? Do Food Studies need Food Design? What does “From User Experience to People Centered Design” mean? Do food designers need guidelines?
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El presente artículo tiene la finalidad de mostrar el modo en que a través del diseño podemos redefinir los alimentos en la cadena alimentaria y de suministro (supply chain), contribuir a que las ciencias sean más... more
El presente artículo tiene la finalidad de mostrar el modo en que a través del diseño podemos redefinir los alimentos en la cadena alimentaria y de suministro (supply chain), contribuir a que las ciencias sean más interdisciplinares y apoyar unos métodos de producción más sostenibles para el ser humano y el medioambiente.
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All over the world, public concern about issues of access to foodand food safety is increasing as the planet’s population grows. Awareness of the real distance between systems of production and those of consumption systems is becoming... more
All over the world, public concern about issues of access to foodand food safety is increasing as the planet’s population grows. Awareness of the real distance between systems of production and those of consumption systems is becoming clearer.Globalization, urbanization and the development of societyare creating new forms of urban experience and contexts of transformation where information technology and different cultural communities are the true protagonists of change.Food experiences, eating patterns and person-food relationships, respond to a complex system of situational factors and choices which individuals must make, and are grounded in logical considerations that are neither tangible nor easily understood (let us take a look at workday eating habits, with food cooked in the microwave and compare it with the weekend, when time and resources are devoted to preparing elaborate dishes and/or cooking them following recipes).The aim of this paper is to provide a critique of the evolution and role of digital technology as far as the food experience is concerned. Food here, has been studied as both an object and as an instrument (tool), from a theoretical and empirical point of view to generate a series of concepts, capable of delineating a number of trends to subject to the appraisal of the community (and the hybrid city).One concept/case study will be presented in detail: Neighborfood.
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The growing impact of digital technologies on the activities of food, and the need to develop increasingly complex network systems, both local and global, will require "future supply and food experts," a greater capacity for analysis and... more
The growing impact of digital technologies on the activities of food, and the need to develop increasingly complex network systems, both local and global, will require "future supply and food experts," a greater capacity for analysis and in particular, for design new food experience. The introduction of digital technologies in the experience of food could enhance eating behaviors already present in humans, andunleash the new (emergent behavior), in turn affecting ancient human practices, suchas those related to the meaning (and values) of eating. This paper will present the importance (and the need) of teaching a course in Food Studies using interaction design methods and design education perspectives. Design courses aim to accompany the Food Studies students in the study and elaborationof design and visualization projects that take into account the local and global problems with food. The aim of introducing this kind of courses is to design interactions for new cultures of food, where digital technologies are part of and contribute to this evolution. The need from Food Studies students is not required to design intuitive and immediate answers to problems, but to find solutions that allow the users to create their own routes, and generate new knowledge and culture. Design courses in the food area can allow students to observe the field and realize how technology is used in a given contextand can help the students to pay particular attention to the understanding of user needsto be able to explore new design ideas. There will be varying degrees of monitoring and evaluation, with an intervention and direct involvement of stakeholders and end-users. The co-participatory approach combined with the definition of a theoretical framework and development of ethnographic research, will be contemporary and will alternate; bothmethodologies will compensate each other throughout the duration of the course - both in the analysis phase and in that of envisioning. Introducing Design courses (Experience Centered Design courses) in the Food Studies curriculum can provide to the students the opportunity to be exploratory moderators of the sessions, users in the stages of collecting comments and opinions, and designerswhen creating and viewing different elaborated scenarios. Collaborative research and practices between communication designers and other stakeholders can contribute onthe creation of more eco-friendly and sustainable food systems
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Research Interests: History and Food Studies
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Policy makers dealing with food issues are currently faced with a number of challenges. International cooperation and a global consensus on public food policy is very relevant if such challenges are to be tackled. The convergence of such... more
Policy makers dealing with food issues are currently faced with a number of challenges. International cooperation and a global consensus on public food policy is very relevant if such challenges are to be tackled. The convergence of such policies can be fostered also through bottom-up initiatives, which can become catalysts of change. The Barilla Center for Food and Nutrition Foundation has been involved with the topic of sustainability within the agri-food sector since 2009. It produces reports and publications with the goal of delivering scientifically valuable information to the general public. The work of the BCFN Foundation focuses on three main global issues: malnutrition and obesity, food waste, and sustainable agriculture. These three pillars also form the foundation of the Milan Protocol, a policy document developed with a bottom-up approach that aims to be implemented at a global level and has a mission to improve the overall sustainability of the food sector. The Milan Protocol fundamentally contributes to the Milan Charter, a global food policy proposal resulting from EXPO, serving as a best practice example in moving from theory to concrete action in the field of global public food policy.
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In this article, the authors aim to reflect on the relationship between collaborative creation and creativity ('co-creativity') within Living Lab (LL) research and innovation in the domain of agri-food systems.While the value of... more
In this article, the authors aim to reflect on the relationship between collaborative creation and creativity ('co-creativity') within Living Lab (LL) research and innovation in the domain of agri-food systems.While the value of LL is often perceived to be the collaboration among its participants, there is a need to capture and measure the process of co-creation.Co-creativity is indicated by the literature to be a necessary research and collaborative component of social change, as well as for promoting a transformative sustainability agenda.This article uses empirical and primary data collected in the context of the DIVINFOOD project to show the extent to which researchers actively promote, manage and respond to the effects of collaborative creativity within their research. Collaborative creativity is an indispensable component of the co-creation process because it supports collaborative learning. The authors conclude that measuring co-creativity could be an interesting indi...
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Due to climate changes, resources availability and evolving markets, the food system is developing towards an articulated and complex ecology, with fast transformations occurring in food production, preparation, delivery and disposal. In... more
Due to climate changes, resources availability and evolving markets, the food system is developing towards an articulated and complex ecology, with fast transformations occurring in food production, preparation, delivery and disposal. In this context, innovation is needed not just to ideate solutions to deal with a fast-changing system but also to accompany the change adopting a systemic long-term approach. We reflect on the transformational potential of design in the food sector enabled by digital technologies, one of the current major drivers of change. We define two levels of changes implying digital technologies, those that radically change the food system and those enabling changes within a given system. These levels are exemplified with case studies documented in literature and with students’ projects showing how transformational design can help grasp the complexity of current problems, and question the current status quo by facilitating a dialogue among stakeholders to stimul...
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This Special Issue focuses on exploring the latest trends in the use of information technology to cope with emerging societal transformations on the food system and its interrelations. It aims to be a starting point, especially to show... more
This Special Issue focuses on exploring the latest trends in the use of information technology to cope with emerging societal transformations on the food system and its interrelations. It aims to be a starting point, especially to show what a key role designers play today in the ongoing transformation process and transition of food systems. It shows that the great challenge of digital innovation in the food sector is to re-design not only the products, but also the services and processes imposed by the ongoing digital transformation.
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DESIGN FOR FOOD AND NUTRITION, ADIPER (2015) Milan: ADIper srl, 247 pp., ISBN: 9788894033922, p/bk, €30
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Cities are changing. Wars, climate change and idealised betterlife opportunities open the doorsformassive migration.Unfortunately, however,the new arrivalswith their different backgroundsand lifestylesare often perceived as a threat to... more
Cities are changing. Wars, climate change and idealised betterlife opportunities open the doorsformassive migration.Unfortunately, however,the new arrivalswith their different backgroundsand lifestylesare often perceived as a threat to pre-existing culture and home. But what is ‘home’?From the results of ethnographic researchand an online opensurveyconducted for amaster’s degreefinal thesis in systemic design, ‘home’ is the neighbourhoodthat involves all the values and behaviours that everyone needs in their everyday life. This research led to theacademic conceptof the ‘neighbourhood home’, a system of new environments for future inclusive cities that aims to make all the inhabitants ‘feel at home’.This notionis based on the ideathat inclusion isdeveloped throughempathy, creativity and know-how, discoveringthe culturalritualsand myths of different peoples. In every structure (like Homesof Music, Language, Clothing, etc.),new and old citizens can rediscover their common roots, whichhave always been, today as yesterday, interconnected through a multiplicity ofculturalhandicraftexpressions.The pilot projectdesigned is ‘MeetEat’, a home that promotes informal cooking classes andsocial eatingandis ingredient-driven (chosen on a seasonal basis) and organisedby volunteercitizens in the neighbourhood. With the neighbourhood home’thesis, we aim to propose a system that can turn diffidence into curiosity,conflicts into sharingandexclusioninto caring
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L'Osservatorio sul Dialogo nel Sistema Agroalimentare, promosso da Federazione dei Dottori in Agraria e Forestali, Passiinsieme, Rete del Festival Cerealia ed ENEA, ha cercato possibili soluzioni alle difficoltà di dialogo emerse... more
L'Osservatorio sul Dialogo nel Sistema Agroalimentare, promosso da Federazione dei Dottori in Agraria e Forestali, Passiinsieme, Rete del Festival Cerealia ed ENEA, ha cercato possibili soluzioni alle difficoltà di dialogo emerse negli ultimi anni tra attori del sistema agroalimentare e mondo della ricerca scientifica. Una serie di incontri condotti con approccio partecipativo da facilitatori professionisti ha permesso di giungere alla stesura di un manifesto e alla individuazione di una serie di obiettivi ed azioni condivise, pensate per la sostenibilità del sistema agroalimentare. La larga e diversificata partecipazione di portatori di interesse ha reso il percorso molto ricco in termini di confronto, costruzione del consenso, chiarificazione dei termini del problema, individuazione di possibili soluzioni. Questa pubblicazione documenta in modo fedele il percorso e i risultati ottenuti dall’Osservatorio. La metodologia partecipativa utilizzata consente inoltre una riflessione sui possibili percorsi da seguire per l’accettabilità sociale dei risultati della ricerca, testimoniando di come il dialogo sia un requisito essenziale per il funzionamento della società in generale.
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The article examines the complexities associated with effectively and comprehensively tackling the climate change crisis. Focusing on the need for education, the authors discuss a model of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) that... more
The article examines the complexities associated with effectively and comprehensively tackling the climate change crisis. Focusing on the need for education, the authors discuss a model of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) that supports the development of competencies, coalition building and the capacity to support and maintain positive action. Drawing upon principles highlighted by the United Nations, the paper outlines the breadth and depth of knowledge required to support transformative ESD. Firstly enhancing comprehensive knowledge that develops cognitive, affective and axiological dimensions and proficiency. This enhances critical engagement with information and enables individuals to act responsibly and align with others in coalition building. The second element refers to collaborative partnership that is crucial for changes to be effective. This has been one of the most challenging barriers preventing positive action on the catastrophe pf climate change. Finally, th...
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Abstract This is not a book about food design. Instead, it focuses on the transdisciplinarity of design and its application in the agri-food sector. This book presents design as a combination of methods for teaching, learning,... more
Abstract This is not a book about food design. Instead, it focuses on the transdisciplinarity of design and its application in the agri-food sector. This book presents design as a combination of methods for teaching, learning, experimenting, and implementing to fulfill the requirements of the transformation and innovation we see in the fields of food systems and sustainability. By exploring a collection of different cases, this book explains the concept of design in a way that is accessible even to scholars and practitioners who are not designers, as an approach that forces to set aside technology and helps to process and problem-solve in a transdisciplinary and creative way. This selection of cases will be helpful for educators and students of any subject seeking to broaden their perspective and improve their professional careers. It will also be useful for professors and instructors who require inspirational tools and concepts to introduce complex subjects, such as transdisciplinarity and food sustainability, in their classrooms.
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Relationship between human beings and food, food experience and eating behaviors, and food supply chain and post-consumption activities, respond to a complex system of situational factors and choices that individuals make, often based on... more
Relationship between human beings and food, food experience and eating behaviors, and food supply chain and post-consumption activities, respond to a complex system of situational factors and choices that individuals make, often based on patterns that are intangible or not easily predictable. Public concern about food access and food security issues is increasing, everywhere in the world. Food in its complexity must be studied and managed in a systemic and trans-disciplinary manner. Thus, understanding the role of design in the agri-food sector becomes fundamental. We need to design for more sustainable diets if we want to save the planet. But there is a positive side to this story and that is there are several professions based on creativity that can make a difference. The professions of sustainability, where humanity is synonymous with a solution, and where food goes hand in hand with innovative systems. Among these, the food designer seems to be a promising career for future professionals who want to apply their skills beyond the food sector, such as the cross-cutting sectors suggested by the UN Agenda 2030 through the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). For this brief contribution, I decided to start from the conclusion of my keynote speech recently given at the 2nd International Food Design and Food Studies Conference entitled “Experiencing FOOD: Designing Sustainable and Social Practices”, in Lisbon 1 . The conclusion of my speech was a call to action addressed to everybody, and particularly to designers and innovators who deal with the agri-food sector: “we have to design and propose visionary scenarios. We should inspire the humans. Maybe we should shock them. Or only hardly touch them. But only through our futuristic design projects and ideas will we be able to teach today’s generations that a different world is possible. We could show them that a sustainable world is not only imaginable, but also achievable. We need to design our revolutionary future world from today. We need to envision sustainable scenarios. We must inspire the contemporary humanities on what the potential values of sustainability could be. More than before, today change makers need to be inspired by the future”. Sustainability must become a human value soon.
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The dialogue between the actors of the food and agriculture system is in crisis, generating many problems of acceptance of innovation. This problem has clear elements of “wickedness” (Rittel & Webber, 1974). This chapter describes... more
The dialogue between the actors of the food and agriculture system is in crisis, generating many problems of acceptance of innovation. This problem has clear elements of “wickedness” (Rittel & Webber, 1974). This chapter describes the work done by the Observatory on Dialogue in Agri-food System, an informal group founded in 2018 by a number of associations and individuals from a wide range of backgrounds, to define the problem and to devise solutions. The Observatory organized a series of professionally facilitated workshops and in-depth meetings that took place in 2018 and 2019. This activity involved a very diverse group of stakeholders and adopted a design thinking approach, which allowed to establish a reciprocal respect climate and elicit empathy (Massari, Allievi, & Recanati, 2020), to define the boundaries of the problem and to ideate possible solutions. At the end of the journey the group prototyped the ideas and summarized them in a manifesto, containing a shared mission and a set of specific objectives and actions to be recommended to agri-food system actors.
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The book, an art book on food, is based on material gathered during RESONANCES I, an ad hoc project organized by the Joint Research Centre of the European Commisison at the occasion of the Universal Exhibition EXPO 2015: Feeding the... more
The book, an art book on food, is based on material gathered during RESONANCES I, an ad hoc project organized by the Joint Research Centre of the European Commisison at the occasion of the Universal Exhibition EXPO 2015: Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life.The material has been deconstructed and reconstructed into a new narrative that evokes the transition of considering food as a mere scientific, technical and commercial matter of fact to food seen as a social cultural and political matter of concern.JRC.A.5-Scientific Developmen
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Food waste represents one of the main issues undermining the sustainability of our food systems, which is why its minimization has been comprised among the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN’s 2030 Agenda. Some researchers... more
Food waste represents one of the main issues undermining the sustainability of our food systems, which is why its minimization has been comprised among the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN’s 2030 Agenda. Some researchers have begun to link the concepts of food waste and food security with well-being, suggesting that if individuals reduce their food waste, they can improve their well-being and that of the community and contribute to the achievement of different SDGs. Yet, few researches have so far looked at a concrete link between food waste initiatives, consumer engagement, and well-being, and few if any studies have analyzed design thinking and food waste, a gap which the present chapter seeks to fill.
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Warning: Parameter 2 to qtranxf_postsFilter() expected to be a reference, value given in /web/htdocs/www.aisdesign.org/home/aisd/wp-includes/class-wp-hook.php on line 286 Il testo propone una riflessione di ampio respiro sui temi dello... more
Warning: Parameter 2 to qtranxf_postsFilter() expected to be a reference, value given in /web/htdocs/www.aisdesign.org/home/aisd/wp-includes/class-wp-hook.php on line 286 Il testo propone una riflessione di ampio respiro sui temi dello sviluppo tecnologico nel settore alimentare e del suo rapporto con la società e i territori, evidenziando il ruolo delle ideologie e della critica del design: sia attraverso la lettura dei fenomeni da parte di esperti, sia di comunità che hanno espresso attività culturalmente mediate e situate nel quadro del sistema globalizzato del cibo. Il saggio nel suo complesso delinea l’evoluzione del rapporto design e alimentazione dalla seconda metà dell’800 all’attualità, nel contesto italiano e del Nord America. Gli esempi qui presentati dimostrano come la transizione verso una società di massa abbia fornito un ambiente fertile per far interagire il mondo del cibo e quello del design. Nel suo sviluppo, il food design si è andato consolidando come un ambito d...
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Educating young people to active citizenship is becoming a priority to make better informed choices and promote sustainable behaviours. Food system information provides a good example, because the way we eat is linked to our health and... more
Educating young people to active citizenship is becoming a priority to make better informed choices and promote sustainable behaviours. Food system information provides a good example, because the way we eat is linked to our health and the one of Planet. In Italian schools, the number of available food education modules is growing. However, most of them stress purely nutritional aspects and focus on the food system is relatively sparse. This paper presents an innovative way of teaching and develop global citizenship competences through food with a project called “We, Food, Our Planet”.
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Abstract Design/methodology/approach Food waste among consumers remains a great scourge affecting our world today. Scientific data and numerous reports show that food waste is a growing trend that has an impact on all stages of the... more
Abstract Design/methodology/approach Food waste among consumers remains a great scourge affecting our world today. Scientific data and numerous reports show that food waste is a growing trend that has an impact on all stages of the agri-food chain. Recent studies provide valuable insights into how the Covid-19 pandemic has influenced consumer food habits, routines and wasteful behaviour at household level, appearing to show that increases in food waste ceased during lockdown. The authors propose Design Thinking (DT) not simply as a problem-solving approach but as a creative methodology by which the virtuous practices acquired by individuals to avoid food waste during lockdown might be maintained. This article supports the thesis that by applying DT it is possible to devise awareness-raising solutions aimed at encouraging the final consumer to maintain the good food management practices acquired during lockdown, in the long term. To support this hypothesis, two promising pre-pandemic awareness-raising campaigns put forward by design thinkers and practitioners to reduce food waste at consumer level will be discussed. Both initiatives confirm that the degree of awareness, understanding and assimilation of the ethical attitudes related to food waste can lead to long-term behavioural changes, bringing about a transition to desirable, feasible, viable, sustainable and responsible behaviour. Purpose Food waste has been acknowledged as one of the main issues undermining the sustainability of our world, which is why its reduction has been included among the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN's 2030 Agenda. Furthermore, some studies have begun to link the concepts of food waste and food security with sustainable food consumption, suggesting that if individuals reduce their food waste, they can improve their food habits, health and that of the community while contributing to the achievement of several SDGs. However, to date few studies have foregrounded the existence of a concrete connection between food waste initiatives and consumer awareness, and few scholarly articles have focused on design thinking and waste, including food waste during the pandemic, a gap which the present article seeks to fill. Findings The results should inform an improved understanding of how empathy and creativity, two of the main determinants of the design thinking approach, can be used to promote and maintain sustainable food behaviours and ultimately reduce food waste among consumers by designing new food experiences. Originality/value This study has a very original and multi-disciplinary approach. Indeed, in order to reduce food waste, if uses a design thinking approach, for the first time in literature, to enhance the engagement of individuals in fighting food waste.
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Abstract To be fully grasped, the concept of sustainability needs to be brought to life through practical applications. Food represents an ideal starting point to examine the complexity of sustainability; the integration of dimensions... more
Abstract To be fully grasped, the concept of sustainability needs to be brought to life through practical applications. Food represents an ideal starting point to examine the complexity of sustainability; the integration of dimensions such as nutrition, environment, society, and economics, and related perspectives, is fundamental for a sustainable transition. New transdisciplinary competences are needed to go beyond the state of the art. In this context, empathy and design thinking (DT) can effectively contribute in teaching sustainability of food systems. This chapter presents three case studies to test an innovative pedagogical model based on the coupling of DT with a systemic and empathic approach (including empathy toward yourself, toward others, and the whole planet). This proves to be effective in increasing both the understanding of the complexity of food sustainability and the agency of youth. Furthermore, the chapter presents recommendations for integrating such approach into food sustainability education.
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In the past 20 years, two new disciplines have been created and have evolved, first as two separate subjects, and now more and more interconnected: food studies and food design studies. The motive behind the recent success and popularity... more
In the past 20 years, two new disciplines have been created and have evolved, first as two separate subjects, and now more and more interconnected: food studies and food design studies. The motive behind the recent success and popularity of education in the agri-food sector lies in the fact that everywhere in the world, the boundaries around the world of food and nutrition have widened. More attention is dedicated to communication, proximity, connections, social and cultural values, and the construction of new food systems. There is a growing need to find new ways to defeat food paradoxes (malnutrition, non-sustainable production systems and the battle against food waste, to name a few). In the past 10 years, the design method has been consolidating into the field of food. Participatory design and co-creation in food experience design became popular along with the discipline of food design. However, the interest in emerging and innovative forms of teaching models in academic and non...
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Teaching sustainability in higher education is far from being an easy task. The idea of sustainability itself risks remaining an abstract and out-of-reach concept unless it is taught to develop practical solutions. Lecturers approaching... more
Teaching sustainability in higher education is far from being an easy task. The idea of sustainability itself risks remaining an abstract and out-of-reach concept unless it is taught to develop practical solutions. Lecturers approaching sustainability in higher education, often do not have the overall knowledge and resources to effectively present the topic to their students. This chapter presents the principles needed to develop a new pedagogy for sustainability accounting for the role of empathy. The teaching approach is developed starting from the use of the Food Sustainability Index (FSI) as an educational tool – named FSI Edu – for teaching food sustainability in higher education settings. FSI assesses food sustainability adopting a systematic approach and showing the complexity of food sustainability issues. After a theoretical introduction, the chapter describes two experiments based on the FSI Edu at the Bachelor and Master Degree level. These experiments built the starting point for an educational model – named EOE – to foster the empathic process: its three steps are key for sustainability teaching in higher education.