FAO continues to share the findings of the December 2022 launched FAO flagship report The future of food and agriculture – Drivers and triggers for transformation and its methodological underpinnings in a series of events and presentations. After visits to Europe and Asia, Lorenzo Giovanni Bellù, Senior Economist, Team Leader of the Policy Intelligence Branch - Global Perspectives in the FAO Agrifood Economics Division (ESA) and lead author of the report, went to Durban (South Africa) in early June, to participate in the 8th Africa Agribusiness and Science Week (AASW) at the invitation of the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA).

In presenting the report, Lorenzo Giovanni Bellù addressed the issue of transformative pathways for agrifood systems both in high-income and low- and middle-income countries. The delegates of FARA saw it as an excellent conceptual platform for inspiring regional and sub-regional foresight exercises in support of African policymakers. In particular, on how to link strategic foresight exercises and their outcomes to tailor-made governmental, investment-harnessing policies that have specific socioeconomic and political economy challenges. Participating in the 8th AASW was also an opportunity to portray how Rome-based Agencies provide synergetic support to foresight activities in support of transformative decision-making.

Following the presentation in Durban, Lorenzo Giovanni Bellù travelled to Brussels at the invitation of the European Commission’s secretariat of the Member State-led Standing Committee of Agricultural Research (SCAR) to speak at the SCAR workshop “Shaping the Future – SCAR Foresight”. The SCAR Foresight Group meets at various levels to discuss research and innovation policy orientations, and includes a dedicated strategic working group on foresight. Their last report Joint Declaration of the SCAR members on the 5th Foresight Exercise on “Natural resources and food systems: Transitions towards a ‘safe and just’ operating space”  was published in 2020 and the group is now starting their work on the next foresight exercise.

Every three to five years, the SCAR Foresight Group starts a new foresight process. The process consists of two sub-processes, the dissemination of the results of the recent study on one hand and setting up a new study on the other hand. Both processes are running in parallel. Currently, a new SCAR Foresight process is being started. Lorenzo Bellù’s presentation contributed to the debate and is expected to nurture strategic actions of European Union Members towards more sustainable and resilient agrifood systems.

In the last step of travel mission, Lorenzo Giovanni Bellù attended the “7th Food and Beverages Symposium”, in Bormio (Italy) to address key public and private stakeholders of Italian and transnational agrifood systems, at the invitation of the Italian think tank The European House Ambrosetti.

Specifically, Lorenzo Bellù addressed the question “Will there be food for everybody?”, using the findings of the report The future of food and agriculture – Drivers and triggers for transformation. The alternative scenarios presented in the report and the innovative and transformative role that the private sector and civil society can play to move agrifood systems towards sustainability and resilience were highlighted.

Earlier in May, FAO had been invited by the Swedish International Agriculture Network Initiative (SIANI), to remotely present the report during SIANI’s annual meeting. SIANI, a multisector network based Stockholm, has more than 5 000 members worldwide and meets on a yearly basis to engage and share knowledge with interested members.