15th International Conference of
the Finland Futures Research Centre and the Finland Futures Academy, University of Turku

FUTURES FOR FOOD

6–7 June 2013 Turku, Finland


What could the futures of food look like? How will consumers need and value food?
Where will our food come from? What kinds of trade-offs and synergies will there be between the increasing demand for food and bioenergy?
Will we eat algae and larvae in darkness? What methods and tools will we use to study future foodways?

These and many other interesting questions will be considered in the Futures for Food conference.

Topics of the Conference:

• Food consumption trends

• Future scenarios for food

• Food systems – Futures for the production, processing and consumption of food

• Changing foodways – Cross-disciplinary approaches to food and eating

• Innovative R&D processes within the food sector

• Case studies from food companies

• Futures research methodology in the study of the future of food

• Theoretical approaches for the future interaction of food, culture, society, and the economy

• Sustainable development and food

• Food and bioenergy

• Non-food product development
  

About the Conference:

Foodways are in constant change. There is a strong need within the food sector at large to better understand consumer behaviour and environmental changes, to see what impacts they will have for the futures of food. On the short term, these changes are due to differentiating lifestyles, consumer needs and trends, as well as food research and development processes, which bring new products to markets. On the long term, food is becoming a scarce renewable resource that is susceptible to being lost. Global and local environmental changes, such as climate change, population growth, and shortage of natural resources like energy, water, and fertilisers, are putting more pressure on food production environments. On the other hand, technological development and food innovations can offer new solutions for producing food more effectively for the growing number of people in the globalising world. As a consequence of these short and long-term phenomena, food production systems – from primary production to consumption – are changing. Futures thinking, research, and methodology will offer the means to assess alternative futures for food.

This international conference will bring together people from universities, research institutes, companies, authorities, and governmental and non-governmental organisations. The aim of the conference will be to create a cross-disciplinary platform where participants can meet, share, and discuss new ideas concerning the futures of food. The conference committee encourages all those who are interested in these questions and futures studies to participate and/or present a paper or poster at the conference. Our aim is to generate multidisciplinary, lively, and productive discussions, as well as promote networking between people from different backgrounds.

We are looking forward to seeing you in Turku next summer!

Join our mailing list by sending an e-mail to futuresconference2013@utu.fi