Urban Food Futures: the case of Dhaka: Understanding, developing and anchoring the Dhaka Food Agenda 2041

This report describes the process of developing the Dhaka Food Agenda 2041 (DFA 2041) using stakeholder-driven, data-driven, and evidence-based approaches. The DFA 2041 is developed under the Support for Modelling, Planning, and Improving Dhaka’s Food System (DFS) project, implemented in Dhaka, Bangladesh, from 2018 to 2023. The report highlights the need for fundamental transformation in Dhaka’s food system, posing questions about the system’s future in 2041 and emphasizing the importance of anticipation methods to deal with uncertainty. In developing the DFA 2041, the DFS project adopted foresight methods, including scenario planning, visioning, and back-casting, to navigate future uncertainties and to consolidate current understanding and perception in a visionary document. The report outlines the steps, methodology, and outcomes of the food systems analysis, modelling, and stakeholder engagement, incorporating foresight processes. The project established multi-stakeholder platforms, engages in a foresight process through workshops and analyses, and systematically collects data and evidence.- The report is organized into four elements: laying the groundwork for understanding the food system, exploring stakeholders and engagement in governance, co-creating the DFA 2041, and anchoring the agenda in formal arrangements and institutions. Each building block involves specific techniques and processes, such as mapping the food system, engaging stakeholders, and connecting evidence with stakeholder knowledge. - The conclusion and reflections on the entire process emphasize ongoing consultations, capacity development, and the formalization of the DFA 2041 in institutional arrangements.