The problem being addressed is that of building collective actions at regional level in order to incorporate the outcomes of many foresight works (from global, regional, national and local) already conducted into regional strategic actions looking at longer term orientations. There is also a need to share these perspectives as regional initiatives are not independent from both national and global and therefore need to be articulated. Further, foresight related activities are more developed in some regions and sharing their experiences is useful for other regions. Visit the conference site for more information: http://www.egfar.org/gcard-2012 La question abordée concerne la mise en place d’actions collectives au niveau régional afin d’intégrer les résultats de nombreux travaux de la prospective (du niveau mondial, régional, national et local) déjà réalisés dans les actions stratégiques régionales visant les orientations à long terme. C’est aussi une nécessité de partager ces perspectives puisque les initiatives régionales ne sont pas indépendantes de celles nationales et mondiales et par conséquent ont besoin d’être articulées. Par ailleurs, la prospective relative aux activités est plus développée dans certaines régions dont les expériences peuvent être utiles pour d’autres régions. Visitez le site web de la GCARD2 pour plus d'informations: http://www.egfar.org/gcard-2012

1. Breakout session F2.1 - Foresight Guiding Research and Innovation
at regional/national level
- Briefing Paper-
Context – the problems being addressed
Matching agricultural research actions to desired development outcomes in a fast changing world
requires anticipating the diversity of perspectives of economic, environmental, political, economic and
social development objectives of different sectors and communities. Because of growing inter-
connectivity among countries, it requires also to take advantage of collective actions in meeting
common objectives at the regional level.
However, major foresight works in AR4D have been developed at global level and relevant works at
the regional and local level have not been brought to the fore and shared. Therefore, bringing national
and regional perspectives together for foresight and research is crucial.
Along with this building a shared vision and purpose for collective AR4D actions including those
related to foresight from the outset; are essential requirements for achieving commitments and large-
scale impacts at all levels.
The overarching question this foresight-related Session intends to answer through the GCARD2
process is: What role do smallholder farmers now play and could play in meeting the future needs in
food and nutrition security, poverty alleviation and sustainable management of natural resources?
This question encompasses several dimensions and issues such as the current situation and future
transformation of land use, small farmers’ access to land and agricultural resources and the evolution
of the links between production and consumption demand of food. These dimensions though take
different aspects according to locally specific conditions have also significant commonality.
The problem being addressed is that of building collective actions at regional level in order to
incorporate the outcomes of many foresight works (from global, regional, national and local) already
conducted into regional strategic actions looking at longer term orientations. There is also a need to
share these perspectives as regional initiatives are not independent from both national and global and
therefore need to be articulated. Further, foresight related activities are more developed in some
regions and sharing their experiences is useful for other regions.
The foresight sub Session will give each regional forum the opportunity to share and discuss with the
others current foresight activities and their outcomes and their vision on how future foresight could
guide research priorities at regional and national levels. Discussion on new priorities and new
challenges for meeting the future needs of smallholders and family farm will lead to collective
regional commitments on this important global agenda as well.
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2. Current activities presented and discussed in the session
Each regional forum has since 2009 worked on foresight and research priorities and will present their
actions and perspectives on foresight based on the following sources:
 Inventory of recent foresight activities related to the region;
 Existing priorities in agricultural research for development;
 Other sources of information and data related to foresight;
 Regional consultations;
 Inputs from the pre-conference discussion held with the members of the forward thinking
platform of the Global Foresight Hub.
The session will highlight new and emerging challenges and what needs to be done in each region in
order to link more closely research with future development needs. They will also indicate collective
research priorities that include long term perspectives that need to be incorporated in current research
programs at national and regional level. Special focus will be given to addressing the future roles of
smallholders and family farms in food security, poverty alleviation and natural resource management.
Intended outcomes
 Conclusions and a collection of lessons learned from region-by-region consultations and pre-
conference analyses of case studies and foresight approaches in the context of existing
regional foresight and prioritization processes;
 A set of collective actions agreed upon to improve the foresight actions in making research
and innovation systems more responsive to future development needs of smallholders through
inclusive prioritization at local/regional level.
Commitments to collective actions in 2012-2014 (national, regional or international)
i. With existing resources
 Greater regional participation in the Global Foresight Hub and development of regional
Foresight networks and Academies with:
a) Greater inter-regional sharing of agricultural foresight related information, experiences,
knowledge, skills and technologies through regional forums and organizations;
b) An organized collection at regional and global level of national and regional agricultural
priorities and actions to meet these priorities.
ii. With additional support
 Progressive development of regional foresight academies and foresight capacity;
 Organisation of foresight-based regional policy dialogue platforms.
iii. With specific large scale programme investment
 Structured open repository of agricultural priorities, policies, actions;
 Structured advocacy and capacity development of national and regional policy-makers, senior
research leaders and managers in foresight-related issues, knowledge, skills and technologies.
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