Case Studies
These case studies are examples of existing work integrating sustainability and nutrition in practice. We share them in the hope that they inspire you in your efforts to apply sustainability to dietetic practice and enable peer-to-peer learning around practical challenges and successes. We hope that they help contextualise the application of sustainability through regionally- and culturally-relevant examples.
Each case study shares the story of a particular initiative, program, document, or organisation from various parts of the world, highlighting key learnings and takeaways. Contact information for organisations or people is included in each case—please use this to initiate direct contact, discuss specific issues and opportunities, and deepen your learning.
NeverEndingFood Permaculture, Malawi (2025)
Using a Permaculture Approach to Nutrition and Community Wellness in Malawi
Sustainable Collaboration: University College Dublin and Airfield Estate, Dublin, Ireland (2025)
Enabling student training & research relevant to sustainable food systems
Areas of focus: Agriculture, Community, Dietetic Educator, Education Research, Environmental Degradation, Industrialised Capitalist Systems
German Example on Integrating Sustainability in Dietetic Courses (2025)
Students experience an increase in drive, confidence, and responsibility
Areas of focus: Dietetic Educator, Education, Research, Lack of Support in the Professional Culture
Addressing Food Waste at University College Dublin, Ireland (2025)
Departmental partnerships to turn waste into wealth
Areas of focus: Administration, Dietetic Educator, Foodservice, Education, Lack of Infrastructure, Lack of Support in the Professional Culture
Red-Listed Seafood (2025)
Removing Red-Listed Seafood in Acadia University’s Wheelock Dining Hall
Areas of focus: Administration, Dietetic Educator, Foodservice, Education, Policy Change, Environmental Degradation, Industrialised Capitalist Systems, Lack of Infrastructure, Lack of Support in the Professional Culture
Reducing Food Waste with Recovering Drug Addicts in Germany (2025)
Utilising “Imperfect” Produce from Distributors in Germany
Areas of focus: Community, Public Health, Policy Change, Programming, Food Prices, Profits as Priority
Gardening & Nutrition Education in a Speech & Hearing Impaired School – Chennai, India (2025)
Supporting Food Sovereignty Through Nutrition Education of the Speech & Hearing Impaired
Areas of focus: Community, Public Health, Education, Programming, Lack of Infrastructure
2025 India gardening and Nutrition Education case study [PDF]
Food Sustainability and Nutrition in Violence Prevention in Jamaica (2025)
Supporting Food Security and Sustainability in Jamaican Youth Violence Prevention
Community Kitchens: Responding to Crisis in South African Township: Community innovation for nutritious food in the time of COVID-19 (2025)
Creating opportunity to impact food security during a pandemic in a South African township
SFS Education in Nutrition & Dietetics degrees: Global Case Studies (2025)
International Dietetic educators integrating sustainability into their curricula.
Reviving Traditional Grain Production and Consumption in India (2025)
Opportunities to integrate sustainability, health, and rural economic development in India
SPP, Small Producers (2025)
Incorporating Social Sustainability and the Role of Certifications
National School Lunch Program in Japan (2025)
Building Skills and Habits for Healthy and Sustainable Eating in Childhood in Japan
Areas of focus: Administration, Community, Public Health, Policy Change, Programming, Finding Common Ground, Food Prices
Dietary Guidelines for the Brazilian Population (2025)
Integrating Sustainability, Traditional Diets, and Cultural Wisdom into National Dietary Guidelines
Areas of focus: Community, Foodservice, Public Health, Policy Change, Industrialised, Capitalist Systems, Profits as Priority
Cardinia Food System Strategy (2025 Dec)
Creating a Healthy, Sustainable, and Fair Food System with a Vision for Local Food Security and Community Wellbeing
Areas of focus: Administration, Agriculture, Community, Public Health
Personal Knowledge Development, Policy Change, Programming
Environmental Degradation, Finding Common Ground, Food Prices, Industrialized, Capitalist Systems, Profits as Priority
Basil’s Harvest’s Theory of Change (2025)
Rooted in Food, Farm, and Health
Areas of focus: Agriculture, Community, Public Health, Policy Change, Programming, Research, Environmental Degradation, Finding Common Ground, Lack of Support in the Professional Culture
Growing Possibility (2025)
Community-led Food Growing in Tayside
Areas of focus: Administration, Agriculture, Community, Public Health, Research, Education, Personal Knowledge Development, Policy Change, Programming, Environmental Degradation, Finding Common Ground, Food Prices, Food Safety, Industrialized, Capitalist Systems, Lack of Infrastructure, Lack of Support in the Professional Culture, Profits as Priority
Chef Rodrigo Pacheco’s Biodiverse Edible Forest and Bocavaldivia (Ecuador) (2025)
FAO National Goodwill Ambassador for Ecuador
Areas of focus: Agriculture, Community, Foodservice, Public Health, Menu Change, Personal Knowledge Development, Policy Change, Environmental Degradation, Lack of Support in the Professional Culture, Profits as Priority
Chef Rodrigo Pacheco’s Biodiverse Edible Forest and Bocavaldivia (Ecuador)(2025)
Embedding Sustainability in Dietetic Placements (2025)
The Greener Projects Toolkit
Areas of focus: Clinical Nutrition, Dietetic Educator, Education, Personal Knowledge Development, Policy Change, Programming, Finding Common Ground, Lack of Infrastructure, Lack of Support in the Professional Culture
Agroecology Coalition (2026)
Nutrition is integral to Agroecology
Areas of focus: Administration, Agriculture, Community, Foodservice, Public Health, Education, Menu Change, Personal Knowledge Development, Policy Change, Programming, Environmental Degradation, Food Prices, Food Safety, Industrialized, Capitalist Systems, Lack of Infrastructure
2026 Agroecology Coalition and Nutrition
Food + Planet (2025)
Including one from the ICDA SFS Toolkit!
Areas of focus: Administration, Agriculture, Clinical Nutrition, Community, Dietetic Educator, Foodservice, Public Health, Research, Education, Menu Change, Personal Knowledge Development, Policy Change, Programming, Research, Environmental Degradation, Finding Common Ground, Food Prices, Food Safety, Industrialized, Capitalist Systems, Lack of Infrastructure, Lack of Support in the Professional Culture, Profits as Priority
Media Attributions
- NeverEndingFood Permaculture, Malawi (2025) © Stacia Nordin
- Sustainable Collaboration University College Dublin and Airfield Estate © Sarah Browne
- Planetary Health Diet © EAT
- Food Waste Lecture © University College Dublin
- MSC Certified Seafood © Marine Stewardship Council
- Apple Produce Baskets © Wren Meinberg
- Dr. MGR Dining Hall © Dr. MGR
- Jamacia Island Nutrition Network © Jamacia Island Nutrition Network
- South Africa Community Kitchens © Nutrition Connect
- SFS Education in Nutrition and Dietetics © Sustainable Food Systems Education: Global Case Studies
- Millet Grains
- Small Producers Fair trade © Small Producers’ Symbol
- National School Lunch Program in Japan (2025) © ICDA Sustainability
- Fruit and vegetable produce baskets © 2015 Ministry of Health of Brazil is licensed under a CC BY-NC-SA (Attribution NonCommercial ShareAlike) license
