This article considers the relationship between centralised, exogenous institutions and the embedded, endogenous institutions of rural governance in Europe through an examination the evaluation procedures of the European LEADER programme. LEADER is presented in the literature as progressive in terms of innovation and stakeholder engagement. Yet, while the planning and management of LEADER embraces heterogeneity and participation, programmatic evaluation is centralised and is held at arms length from the delivery organisations. The article reviews previous efforts to improve evaluation in LEADER and considers alternative strategies for evaluation, contrasting LEADER practice with participatory evaluation methodologies in the wider international context. Can evaluation in itself be valuable as a mode of social learning and hence a driver for endogenous development in rural communities in Europe? The article concludes by examining the challenges in producing a hybrid form of evaluation that accommodates both endogenous and exogenous values. Evaluation and multi-level governance

Summary CAP Reform and Innovation: The Role of Learning and Innovation Networks The technological and organisational solutions the agricultural sector has undertaken in the past are not always compatible with the constraints and opportunities that the rural economy and society will face in the future. There is growing agreement that the goal of sustainability cannot be fulfilled without a profound change in the way the economy is organised. Innovation policies are among the most suitable instruments for this purpose. The article, based on the SOLINSA conceptual framework, adopts a network approach to innovation policies. Based on empirical evidence collected from case studies across Europe in the first phase of the project, the paper proposes the concept of Learning and Innovation Networks for Sustainable Agriculture (LINSA). LINSA are defined as ‘networks of producers, customers, experts, Non‐Governmental Organisations, Small and Medium Enterprises, local administrations and components of the formal Agricultural Knowledge System (AKS), that are mutually engaged with common goals for sustainable agriculture and rural development – cooperating, sharing resources and co‐producing new knowledge by creating conditions for communication'. The article proposes that LINSA be considered as policy devices – in line with the European Innovation Partnership initiative – to foster innovation in the direction of sustainability goals as advocated by Europe 2020 strategy.

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The special issue titled 'Values-based Territorial Food Networks -Benefits, challenges and controversies' and this introductory editorial aim to bridge conceptual and disciplinary differences within the literature on alternative agro-food networks and related concepts. In the editorial we outline a new umbrella term, Values-based Territorial Food Networks (VTFNs), which synthesises the key commonalities that characterise alternatives to the mainstream food system. VTFNs are defined as networks that connect agro-food and related stakeholders within a defined territory that operate according to a coherent set of ethical values centred on social justice and wellbeing, environmental integrity, participatory governance and economic fairness. We discuss how VTFNs relate to earlier concepts, showing the evolution from 'alternative ' to 'values based', from 'local' to 'territorial' and from 'supply chains' to 'networks'. The editorial also gives an overview of the empirical case studies in the special issue, which explore 10 place-based food initiatives (from Austria,