Pro-poor foresight is forward-looking analysis that focuses on poor and marginalized people by expanding their social and economic opportunities and by enhancing the social, economic, and ecological resilience of human society. Yet foresight, as generally applied within government, industry, and the non-governmental sector, rarely includes an explicit focus on poverty.

The application of pro-poor foresight for envisioning the future of human development is crucial for ensuring long-term prosperity and sustainability. This realization was the guiding and motivating force behind a workshop organized by the Institute for Alternative Futures (IAF), with support from the Rockefeller Foundation. The workshop, “Foresight for Smart Globalization: Accelerating & Enhancing Pro-Poor Development Opportunities,” was held from March 16-20, 2009 at the Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Center in Italy.

By the end of the workshop, the dialogue had produced several key findings that illuminated the value of foresight in the developing world, including:

• Foresight can provide an important set of silo-busting tools to provide a systematic view of the increased complexity of our globalized world.

• Foresight can provide decision-makers from both developed and developing countries with a valuable “safe space” to rehearse and test decisions that address deep uncertainties.

• Foresight can provide a valuable way to connect the “grassroots to the grasstops” by communicating with the public around an important issue and to solicit feedback and opinions.

• Foresight is most critical in addressing the problems of weak  and impoverished nations.

The report also summarizes the real-world experience of participants in conducting foresight in different geographical regions and the barriers faced in applying foresight for decision-making. Subsequently, it describes three interlocking issues—energy and climate change, science and technology, and economic governance—that were discussed in tandem at the workshop.