Building foresight capabilities in agricultural scientific institutions of the Southern Cone: lessons from a learning-by doing-experience.

The emergence of new technologies, the conservation of biodiversity and genetic resources, the environmental consequences of current agriculture practices, the impacts of climate change, the gaps in 79 adoption of key technologies and the expansion of plant pest and diseases are all examples of current challenges of the food and agriculture system that requires a scientific, policy and future-oriented, regional approach. The Cooperative Program for the Development of Agricultural Technology in the Southern Cone (PROCISUR), integrated by the National Agricultural Research Institutions (NARIs) of the Southern Cone, conducted a foresight exercise to build capabilities on this discipline and to raise awareness about the usefulness of foresight approaches to policy makers