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intensive, global dimensioned and well targeted re-
search and innovation actions. They play a funda-
mental role to generate new knowledge and
effectively face the main obstacles in a prospect of
well balanced, healthy and sustainable food sys-
tems worldwide. In this context, “social innovation”
has to be recognized “as an important new field
which should be nurtured” (European Commission,
2010). Results derived from research and innovation
are, in a framework of sustainability, key factors for
a fair growth that is, at the same time, able to com-
bine the conservation of natural resources, public
welfare and social equity. Putting more importance
in dealing with social issues by research and inno-
vation is clearly supported in the recent issued
Green paper “From Challenges to Opportunities: To-
wards a Common Strategic Framework for EU Re-
search and Innovation Funding” (European
Commission, 2011), in which it is evidenced that the
Europe 2020 strategy calls for future EU funding
programmes to focus more on societal challenges.
A multi- and interdisciplinary approach is also
needed, involving all the actors including academic
and scientific institutions, public authorities, farm-
ers, different economic operators and citizens, fo-
cusing on the grand challenges, going beyond the
current rigid thematic setting (Lund Declaration,
2009). The investigation area of sustainable food
systems and diet needs to overcome disciplinary
barriers and requires a new vision of research and
innovation, based on a proactive stakeholders in-
volvement. This also requires supporting inde-
pendent and transparent research and innovation
processes, open to the public and not subject to
economic speculation. Therefore, public research
in this field should assume a central role in order
to appropriately respond to big worldwide ques-
tions in a very balanced manner according to the
general public interest. The systemic nature of the
Mediterranean diet model represents its hallmark.
Consequently, research in this field cannot be lim-
ited to separate study of individual elements butcalls for investigating, as well as on single "ob-
jects" (food composition, quality, safety, ...), also
on the relationships between "objects" (food and
environment, food and culture, food and culinary
tradition, food and territorial specificities, ....). This
leads to innovative research, that should devote
greater emphasis to system interactions and com-
parisons. This is a pillar of the methodological ap-
proach that has to be pursued. Moreover, this
generates a change in the way of looking at re-
search. The researchers have to deal with multi-
ple objectives that, in addition, are not solely traced
back to traditional criteria with productivity and ef-
ficiency. Similarly, the related research results
allow consumers to have the opportunity to choose
food with awareness, not depending on a short-
term economic assessment. They are motivated,
not only by the protection of health and that of their
loved ones, but also by ecological reasons as well
as ethical and social solidarity considerations. The
guiding principle should be the sustainability in its
fullest meaning, which implies long-term re-
search, which can combine with the immediate
needs "practice" of farmers and traditional culture
with those of a better understanding of natural bi-
ological processes that underlie each agro-ecosys-
tem. Such an approach can only be founded in
increasing knowledge and ability to critically
analyse the world around us, which is also the
foundation for scientific research. This concept is
directed towards research and innovation which in-
volves, beyond the traditional agricultural science
and in a very comprehensive manner, different in-
vestigation areas, including modeling, sustainabil-
ity and complexity sciences, system engineering,
managing sciences, economic and social sciences.
The difference – compared to conventional re-
search –is in how to mix and combine the various
skills in a holistic, interdisciplinary and very partic-
ipative approach directly involving farmers that
have to regain the importance that has been pro-
gressively removed from them.