Amman, Jordan – April 2025
The Foresight4Food FoSTr team conducted a pivotal visit to Jordan, intensifying its multi-year engagement in the region and expanding its national and sub-national collaborations to turn strategic foresight into action.
The visit was built upon the foundation laid by earlier visits and workshops, including the national workshop in May 2023 and systemic acceleration discussions held at NAJMAH in November 2024. This latest mission focused on mobilizing diverse stakeholder groups to operationalize the country’s sustainable food future—one aligned with healthier diets, reduced food loss and waste, and circular economic innovation.
High-Level Engagements with Decision-Makers and Innovators
The FoSTr team met with a broad spectrum of stakeholders, ranging from university academics and private sector leaders to high-ranking policymakers. Notably, they held dialogues with members of the Jordanian Senate’s Agriculture and Water Committee and representatives of both the Jordan Chamber of Industry and Chamber of Commerce. The team also had the distinct honor of meeting with Her Royal Highness Princess Basmah Bint Talal, Chair of the National Alliance Against Hunger and Malnutrition (NAJMAH), a critical ally in the country’s food transformation journey.
In Tafila Governorate, the delegation deepened its sub-national engagement. Partnering with NAJMAH and the Jordanian Hashemite Fund for Human Development (JOHUD), the team held productive discussions with the governor, mayor, and chief agricultural officers. They also visited forward-thinking entrepreneurs—including a local insect protein farmer, a sheep herder, and a beekeeper—who represent the grassroots potential for sustainable food innovation.
Workshop Synthesizes Vision for Change
A highlight of the visit was a targeted “Writeshop” involving long-time collaborators from the FoSTr trajectory. Together, participants synthesized the learnings from earlier foresight efforts, including Jordan’s two future scenarios for 2040 and eight detailed policy briefs. The goal was to co-create a practical Change Agenda that identifies systemic actions to transform Jordan’s food system.
Key leverage points identified included:
- Developing efficient, safe, and high-quality food production systems.
- Promoting responsible consumption through healthier, Mediterranean-style diets.
- Strengthening government capacity to design adaptive, context-sensitive food policies.
- Driving investment into sustainable technologies and innovations.
- Implementing disincentives to curb food waste.
Participants outlined the roles of key institutions, identified potential champions, and addressed sources of resistance to change. A roadmap emerged to reinforce the convening power of NAJMAH and JOHUD, foster a cross-sectoral leadership coalition, and establish action research labs to explore complex transformation challenges.
A Vision for the Future
Looking ahead, FoSTr will co-host the 5th Global Foresight4Food Workshop in Amman from June 15–19, 2025. A forthcoming Synthesis Brief will capture the insights and policy pathways developed through this April visit. Additionally, FoSTr aims to deepen strategic collaborations with NAJMAH and JOHUD, positioning them as national conveners for food systems transformation.
Jordan’s journey toward sustainable food futures is accelerating. With stakeholder alignment, foresight-based strategies, and committed leadership, the seeds of systemic change are taking root.
