How can design thinking improve food sustainability in the Minho region? A multi-actor perspective

Abstract

Using the Design Thinking methodology and the multi-actor approach, the aim was to find an innovative and collaborative perspective that reconciles gastronomic traditions with health and sustainability criteria. To this end, two workshops were held, bringing together 12 participants from the agri-food ecosystem in the Minho region. We concluded that the topics discussed and the solutions proposed highlighted the intrinsic relationship between local production and sustainability, emphasizing that the proximity between producer and consumer translates not only into a lower carbon footprint but also into the socio-economic and cultural enhancement of the region. The richness of Minho products, from their flavors, textures, and stories, deserves to be celebrated but also protected and adapted to the new challenges of today’s society. This study has a very original and multidisciplinary approach. Integrating different actors, specialties, and perspectives has promoted a rich exchange of knowledge and experience, materialized in convergent ideas. To improve the future of enogastronomy, the design thinking approach is used for the first time in literature to promote integrated solutions in the Minho food system.