A B O U T T H E N R L O
Goals and methods
The National Council for Agricultural Research (NRLO) was restyled on January 1, 1995.
Its primary task is to explore social, scientific and technological changes over the next fifteen or twenty years which may affect developments in agribusiness, the rural areas and fisheries. What futures do we foresee and what opportunities and threats might they hold for these sectors?
The foresight studies are carried out to support strategic management in agricultural research. How can research be prepared for these future scenarios, which strategic choices should be made in research so that the opportunities and threats signalled can be met head-on? In particular, the aim of these foresight studies is to support entrepreneurs, policymakers in agricultural research and the other people interested in their efforts to explore possible new dilemmas, challenges and opportunities. To this end, promising lines for future research, priority issues and the necessary future organizational and financial structure of research are unearthed and laid on the table.
The intention was not to make forecasts about future probabilities, but rather to map out trends, discontinuities and ambiguities and to use this information as a basis for visualizing and discussing the risks and attractions of various strategies. Foresight studies are seen as a process of learning and exploring in relation to future strategic issues. In accordance with this objective, the foresight studies emphasize trends as well as discontinuities and countermovements; facts as well as norms, values, driving forces and institutional frameworks; straight reporting and analysis as well as a creative exchange of ideas.
The NRLO decided to take the concept of 'sustainable development' as a guiding starting-point. However, the concept was not limited to exclusively economic and ecological elements, as was usual during the mid 1990s; instead, it was understood to incorporate social, cultural, technological and spatial elements as well.
More background information on foresight and how the new-styled NRLO works, can be found on our
'methods' page.
Topics of foresight studies 1995-1998
During the years 1995-1998 the NRLO focused its attention on conducting an interconnected series of foresight studies. The programme has been structured as follows:
NRLO's position is independent of both the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature Management and Fisheries and knowledge institutions. NRLO is financed by the Ministry.
NRLO publishes a quarterly Newsletter that describes the progress of the foresight studies. The foresight studies are published as NRLO-reports. Background studies are also published as reports. See the summaries/reports page. In different areas studies are undertaken for the mid-term programming of research. NRLO's address
Organization
The NRLO office is run by nine permanent employees and is directed by dr. Arie-Pieter Verkaik (also secretary of the Council and the Executive Committee). NRLO is headed by a Council chaired by prof.dr. Arthur Rörsch, who is also chairman of the Executive Committee. The Council consists of fifteen stakeholders from agribusiness, societal interest groupd and government. Members of the Executive Committee are prof.dr. E.W. Brascamp, dr. B.G. Linsen, prof.dr. R. Rabbinge, prof.dr. L.C. Zachariasse and dr. A.N. van der Zande.
In addition, there is regular involvement with relatively flexible 'panel groups' functioning as 'idea networks', not as 'interest networks'. The chairmen and members of these groups participate as private persons.
Furthermore, NRLO co-operates closely with organizations such as the Advisory Council for Science and Technology Policy (AWT), the Environmental and Nature Research Council (RMNO), and the Physical Planning Research Network (Network RO).
Newsletter and Reports
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National Council for Agricultural Research (NRLO) (Visiting address: Bezuidenhoutseweg 73) P.O.Box 20401 NL-2500 EK The Hague The Netherlands |
Project leaders by foresight topic: