D 1.5 Report. Context scenarios for food systems

The European Horizon Europe project FOSTER, 'Fostering food system transformation by integrating heterogeneous perspectives in knowledge and innovation within the ERA', was set up to 'build a foundation from which a Knowledge and Innovation (K&I) governance structure for Europe’s food system can emerge' (FOSTER, 2023). In FOSTER, we work on how to change, improve, and broaden the scientific knowledge base and the associated knowledge and innovation system (in and for the food system). This report contains six context scenarios describing the situation in the European Union in global context. The scenarios are thus environments of food systems in 2040 co-creatively developed with Change-Driven-Initiatives (CDIs) and other partners in the project. The scenarios will be displayed in the digital FOSTER Knowledge Platform (via website https://fosterfoodsystem.eu/). In the FOSTER project, they will be used to frame or test the intended future activities of the CDIs, especially in the following Summer School. The scenarios are working material that can be used to frame the visions, ideas and possibilities of the CDIs. The CDIs can further work within these different future worlds or test systematically, how robust their futures pathways and transformative statements are in the face of or within these scenarios. How this will be done is conceptualised in the further work of WP 2 and WP 3. The scenarios will also be used as a frame for the selection of a topic for a 'new CDI' in WP 1.