Training, mentorship programme combines food design, entrepreneurship and social innovation

AMMAN — A total of 13 participants from Lebanon and Jordan have been selected out of 72 applicants to take part in a new learning experience within the food design programme FABRAKAT.

FABRAKAT is a new training programme on food design that was launched in November 2021 by Goethe-Institut Jordan in partnership with design studio Namliyeh. 

It targets young creative minds, who are active within a variety of industries that food is an integral part of, including but not limited to: Tourism, urban planning, education, agriculture and hospitality, according to a statement from Goethe-Institut Jordan.

With a focus on food design, this transdisciplinary programme combines social innovation, business development and environmental advocacy to create impactful change within food systems, read the statement. 

The programme seeks to qualify the participants and strengthen their opportunities within the diverse food industry. This will be achieved through tailored mentorship and training that the participants will be offered throughout the programme. 

High-profile experts in the field of food design and entrepreneurship will be leading the training modules, including Francesca Zampollo, Safa Hijazeen and Mohammad Ajlouni. 

FABRAKAT is the second element of the food design programme FOOD: FABRIK, which is an extensive programme initiated by the Goethe-Institut Jordan in 2020. The programmes encourage the development of practical and theoretical knowledge about the emerging discipline of food design as part of the creative industries. 

The food sector is economically the largest in the world — yet it is facing urgent problems that design can help address.

Design processes intersect throughout the food cycle; from sourcing to production to consumption and all the way to disposal. For that reason, it holds great potential for entrepreneurial, social, environmental and artistic interventions, the statement said.

“FABRAKAT is a unique programme that gives designers and creatives a great learning opportunity as well as hands-on experience in the multifaceted food industry, by introducing the participants to businesses and associations wishing to implement design competencies within their line of work,” said Laura Hartz, director of Goethe-Institut Jordan.

“We aim to create a knowledge-producing programme that continues to evolve with each edition, fostering a technical and social ecosystem that mobilises designers to lead impactful change in their community,” said architect-duo Aya Shaban and Manal Abushmais founders of Namliyeh.

The journey of FABRAKAT will conclude in early March 2022 with food system design interventions in participation with both the private and public sectors, working closely with stakeholders within diverse contexts to implement food-focused business models, projects, experiences and products.

Goethe-Institut is the Federal Republic of Germany’s cultural institute, active worldwide. 

Namliyeh is a food and design studio based in Amman, led by Aya Shaban and Manal Abushmais.