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Designing Digital Technologies for Sustainable Transformations of Food Systems
  • ISSN: 2056-6522
  • E-ISSN: 2056-6530
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Abstract

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 stimulate behaviour change without prescribing it. In this article we encourage a paradigm shift of design from craft activity to a holistic approach of systemic thinking where the designer assumes the role of promoter and facilitator of change. Reflections on challenges at cultural, social and technological levels are provided in the conclusion section.

© 2023 The Author(s)
This article is Open Access under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence (CC-BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. The CC BY licence permits commercial and noncommercial reuse. To view a copy of the licence, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
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2023-04-10
2024-05-02
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Transformational design for food systems: Cultural, social and technological challenges1
International Journal of Food Design 8, 109 (2023); https://doi.org/10.1386/ijfd_00053_1
/content/journals/10.1386/ijfd_00053_1
/content/journals/10.1386/ijfd_00053_1
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  • Article Type: Article
Keyword(s): digital technologies; fishery ecosystems and management; food innovation; food system transformation; sustainability; transformative design

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