Give your youth perspective: The state of “Foresight” in agriculture and rural development

The state of "Foresight"

Foresight (ability to explore/anticipate and plan the future) is considered essential for understanding future agricultural and rural development contexts and changes around the world, and for driving the research and innovation required to meet these needs.
 

An inventory of forward looking anticipatory works was conducted earlier this year by GFAR, the Global Forum on Agricultural Research. A synthesized report about the current state of foresight in agriculture and rural development was made from this inventory.

These findings and actions forward will be discussed at the 2nd Global Conference on Agricultural Research for Development (GCARD2) in Punta del Este, Uruguay.
 

GFAR would like to give the chance to those who will not attend to provide feedback on the report. These answers will be synthesized and presented to the GCARD2 foresight session to initiate the debates with the participants and foster commitments to action.
 

This responds to GCARD's organizers' conviction that all stakeholders must be involved in identifying possible future needs in agriculture and rural development, if research, innovation and policy are to benefit the poor as intended.
 

Give your feedback!
 

Your views as a young professional is particularly welcome! We would gather and present your ideas as a "special Youth feedback report": what are youth perspectives for the future!

Read the report on the state of Foresight in agriculture and rural development (can be downloaded). You can also have a look at the report on the initial findings of the inventory, briefs with examples of "future thinking" studies, and the work in preparation for GCARD, on Global foresight hub's inventory page, on GFAR website.

We encourage you to respond to a short questionnaire. This questionnaire focuses on collective actions : actions where the collaboration of various stakeholders from different sectors is required in order to move forward.
 

Question 1:
The report highlights new challenges and identifies some controversies related to future evolution of agriculture, food production and rural development (pages 12 to 18). Based on that, which challenges for the future do you consider the most relevant for agriculture and rural development that need to be addressed now through collective action?
 

Question 2:
The report describes how foresight works are currently conducted, and by whom. It also identifies issues related to foresight processes (pages 19-25). For a better and stronger impact of foresight in decision making, resources allocation, research priorities, innovations, and policies, what kind of collective action would you be willing to join, for example ?
 

Question 3:
The report proposes collective actions towards improved foresight (pages 26-30). In your opinion, what should the international agricultural research and development community commit, in relation to these collective actions?
 

Leave your answers in the comments on this blog, or email them to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with "/Youth perspective/" as subject of your email.
 

The synthesis report was prepared by Robin Bourgeois (GFAR), in collaboration with:

• the Foresight Inventory Group: J. Ekboir, C. Sette, C. Egal (Bioversity/ILAC)
• the Write Workshops Facilitation Team: M. Wongtschowski, G. Baltissen (KIT)
• With comments from Write Workshops participants: E. Alarcon, F. Boulier, B. Shantiko; E. Mathijs, L. O’Brien, V. Palmieri, S. Renwick, T. Ronzon, E. Ruz, W. Thompson, J. Vervoort

Global Foresight Hub: M. van den Berg, H. de Haen, B. Hubert
 

Picture courtesy Robin Bourgeois/GFAR