BFI News
Cultivating Food Systems Innovators: Berkeley Food Institute’s Educational Approach
The Berkeley Food Institute is revolutionizing how people think about food and farming systems education. We bridge academic knowledge with real-world impact in our programming that prepares the next generation of food systems leaders.
Interdisciplinary Learning at the Forefront
At the heart of BFI’s educational mission is a commitment to interdisciplinary and experiential learning. We connect students with professionals in the field through pilot courses, seminars, career panels, field trips, internships, and guest lectures – allowing them to explore the complex intersections of agriculture, nutrition and food access, environmental sustainability, social justice, and policy.
This fall, we piloted an upper-division undergraduate course with the Haas School of Business, Improving Our Food Systems Through Values-Based Supply Chains, where prominent faculty introduced guest speakers representing different models of the values-based supply chain in food and farming. Over 35 students enrolled in this innovative course, many of whom noted that they are now considering declaring a Food Systems Minor or working towards a career in food systems. We will continue to partner with experts in the field and departments and organizations across campus to offer this course next Fall.
In November, graduate students Kristida Chhour (FIGC chair) and Sofia Lyons (BFI fellow) facilitated a career panel of experts ranging from school food service directors and restaurant entrepreneurs to researchers and small farm technical assistance providers. We were pleased to be joined by 100 students who heard from these experts about the importance of supporting farmers and businesses transitioning to organic agriculture, and the challenges and opportunities they found along the way. Importantly, students connected with these industry panelists who offered insights into their career and academic paths to becoming food systems leaders and innovators.
Hands-On Research and Community Engagement
What sets BFI’s programming apart is its emphasis on peer learning. This fall, BFI provided nearly $4,000 in grant funding to support Berkeley student organizations working on food systems issues. The funding allowed student groups to host speaker series, collaborative meetings, and spearhead initiatives on campus.
BFI also supports student research. This academic year, BFI provided nearly $10,000 to five student researchers exploring topics aligned with our four mission areas, urban and rural agroecology, racial equity, good food access, and fair and healthy jobs. Stay tuned for an April 2025 lunch and learn to hear more about their work.
Graduate Certificate in Food Systems
BFI creates a dynamic learning environment that empowers students to be true changemakers in the food system by connecting them with leading researchers, practitioners, and policymakers. One pathway to cultivate future change-makers is our Graduate Certificate in Food Systems (GCFS), which equips students with a systems approach to interconnected food and farming challenges and solutions, combining academic rigor with practical experience.
The Certificate was launched in 2019 as a collaboration across multiple departments and schools to understand the factors that impact food production, distribution, and consumption locally, nationally, and globally. This year we’re engaging in a comprehensive assessment of the Graduate Certificate and focusing on expanding access and awareness through community building and peer learning. In October, we kicked off our first of many gatherings at the Oxford Tract, a UC Berkeley urban farm and agricultural lab, where students shared focus areas and course enrollment tips over snacks while shelling fresh peas from the farm.
Looking to the Future
Global food challenges are becoming increasingly complex. To meet this challenge, BFI remains committed to developing cutting-edge curriculum and holistic learning while cultivating meaningful community partnerships. We’re growing the knowledge and leadership needed to create a more sustainable and equitable food future.
In the spring semester our students can look forward to joining us at EcoFarm in January, a field trip to USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service’s Petaluma Service Center, webinars with leaders in food security, and peer learning events centered on student projects and research.
If you are an undergraduate or graduate student at UC Berkeley and would like to get more involved with BFI and our educational programs, please email Jezra Thompson: jezrathompson@berkeley.edu