The SUSKULT joint project is working on an innovative, closed cycle agrosystem that overcomes current and future challenges. The goal is to develop and establish an innovative hydroponics-based food production system, in which plants grow and thrive within the framework of indoor cultivation using nutrient solutions. SUSKULT pursues the vision of turning conventional wastewater treatment plants into “NEWtrient®-Centers” by the middle of the century, supplying all the nutrients required for horticultural projection in the urban setting in addition to clean drinking water.

In the context of the SUSKULT scenario study, the backcasting method was used to show the possible development paths from the SUSKULT target vision in 2050 back to the present. The scenarios were developed in a multi-stage, interdisciplinary process together with the project participants and other stakeholders from science and industry. The first step was to identify potential influencing factors that can impact the SUSKULT vision and are therefore relevant for scenario development. Based on three influencing factors, which have multiple interactions and feedback with the other factors, five different types of scenarios were developed in the form of short stories.

The scenario study has also been published in German.