As the world becomes more volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous, it is increasingly important to have a sound plan and vision for the research and development direction in the agriculture, aquatic, and natural resources (AANR) sector. Reinforcing its commitment to forward-looking and evidence-based planning, the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) conducted a foresight training-workshop for its staff members on February 27, 2026, at the R.D. Guerrero III Room of the DOST-PCAARRD Innovation and Technology Center (DPITC).
The training-workshop was led by DOST-PCAARRD’s Socio-Economics Research Division and its recently institutionalized Foresight and Strategic Insights (FSI) sub-unit under the Policy Analysis and Information Management Unit (PAIMU). The goal of the activity was to study emerging trends and signals of change and turn them into strategic insights to guide planning and decision-making in the AANR research and development sector.
Experts from the Center of Strategic Planning and Policy Studies (CSPPS) of the College of Public Affairs and Development, University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), facilitated the activity. Led by Dr. Hadji C. Jalotlot, the CSPPS team introduced participants to the fundamentals of foresight and futures thinking, including key tools and methods and their application in strategic planning. The sessions encouraged participants to adopt a foresight-driven mindset and to develop greater confidence in applying futures-thinking approaches in their work.
The workshop featured a series of interactive and collaborative exercises designed to demonstrate the practical value of foresight. The activities included framing a foresight initiative, identifying drivers of change affecting the AANR sector, and clustering these drivers based on overlapping themes.
The participants then developed an impact-uncertainty matrix to determine which drivers carry the highest potential impact and uncertainty. Each group also created futures wheels to visualize possible consequences and policy implications of selected drivers of change.
The training concluded with participants demonstrating enhanced creativity, collaboration, and analytical thinking grounded in a futures-oriented perspective.
Through this initiative, SERD continues to nurture a foresight culture within the division and across the Council– one that is proactive, systematic, and evidence-informed in steering science and technology toward sustainable development in the AANR sector.