Agriculture is faced by permanent evolution and it is expected that this trend will continue in the next decennium. The question is what challenges lie ahead and which types of agricultural research can support the sector in order to retain its competitive power by the year 2020. To address this issue, a multi-stakeholder and multi-disciplinary process was initiated in Flanders. The process outcomes learn that two types of action are needed. Firstly, there is need for a focused knowledge production in 5 thematic fields. Central issues hereby are an efficient agriculture, the broadening of the value creation model of agriculture and the increasing sustainability of production. Secondly, efforts should be made to improve the organisation of research with emphasis on participation, anticipation, metacoordination and validation of research outcomes.