Learning from the Future
In 2030 you will perhaps read the Agroscope Annual Report on your eyeglasses, on your watch, or in your coffee cup. Although we’re nowhere near that reality yet, both research and communication must take the lead from visions that could become reality. Going straight to the heart of the matter, the American futurist Herman Kahn opined that ‘Anyone can learn from the past. These days it is more essential to learn from the future.’
Although many nowadays regard print publications as outdated, they are hardly going to die out. Nevertheless, other publication channels have been gaining ground for several years now. In order to make the Annual Report as widely available as possible, Agroscope is also following this trend: At the beginning of the year, a print edition is also published which is simultaneously implemented as an online version. In addition, a purely online edition is always offered at the end of the year. In this way, we exploit the advantages of both publication channels: the handiness of print on the one hand, and the linking opportunities of the Internet, with specialist videos and additional links and information on the other.
What Charles Darwin said about animal species is also true for publication channels: ‘It is not the strongest species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the ones most able to adapt to change.’ For research, this means working proactively on relevant future issues. You can read about what Agroscope is undertaking in this respect in the main article on soil (‘Life in the Soil: The Basis for Agriculture and Nutrition’), and in the articles on pests (‘Curbing the Cravings of a Fly’), horsekeeping (‘Bridge-Builders between Town and Country’) and nutrition (‘From Fermented Foods to Human Health’).
Agroscope is the right point of contact for addressing issues in the agriculture and food sector – because we are already dealing with tomorrow’s topics today.
Bernard Lehmann, President of the Agroscope Council
Michael Gysi, Head of Agroscope
