… Arne Pauwels and his Wakati project!
It is a successful project that does not hide its ambitions – minimize post-harvest losses of what has already been produced in developing countries – which won the International Prize at the RECIPROCITY DAY / EXPO MILANO 2015 Belgian Pavilion,
awarded by the International Jury of the Call for Projects THE TASTE OF CHANGE – Design for food.

Wakati, which means “time” in Swahili, allows farmers to increase the shelf life of fruits and vegetables. According to the United Nations, 45% of fruits and vegetables is spoiled before it reaches the market. The initiator of the project, Arne Pauwels, inspired by an “old” technology to keep areas cool, has devised its first use by farmers in Africa, forced to travel long distances to reach the nearest market where sell their products. It is impossible to be productive without a decent storage to protect the crops: Wakati is therefore ideal for warmer regions of the world with little energy. This tent / container provides a sterilized micro-climate, powered by a solar panel of just 3 Watts: it can contain 180 kg of fruits and vegetables. The energy required is less than 1% of a fridge and the cost is minimal.
The multi-disciplinary nature of the project certainly attracts different communities: eco-sustainable, business, design. These multiple dimensions converge in what we call “design for humans,” with a taste for change, of course! read more

… Chloe Rutzerveld and her Project Edible Growth!
It is an unprecedented challenge, demonstrating how high tech can rhyme with health, that won the Euregio Prize, awarded this May 4 by the Jury of the Call for Projects THE TASTE OF CHANGE – Design for food.

Edible growth is an example of a future food product that forms a bridge between new technologies and authentic practices of growing and breeding food. It combines food with new technology, nature, culture and design.
Multiple layers containing an edible breeding ground, seeds, spores and yeast are printed according to a personalized 3D file after which natural processes like photosynthesis and fermentation will start. Within five days the plants and fungi mature while the yeast ferments the solid inside into a liquid. The product’s intensifying structure, scent and taste are reflected in its changing appearance. Depending on the preferred intensity, the consumer decides when to harvest and enjoy the delicious, fresh and nutrient‐rich edible. read more