CAP Reform and Innovation: The Role of Learning and Innovation Networks

Abstract

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.

Farmers’ Own Research: Organic Farmers’ Experiments in Austria and Implications for Agricultural Innovation Systems

“…In contrast to the overcome linear 'transfer of technology' approach where innovations were seen as being exclusively developed by science and then transferred to farmers that were expected to adopt them, the AIS perspective considers the development of innovation as co-evolutionary process shaped by all actors involved (Klerkx, van Mierlo, & Leeuwis, 2012), and includes institutional and political dimensions (Schut, Rodenburg, Klerkx, van Ast, & Bastiaans, 2014). The main focus is on learning as a means of developing new arrangements specific to local contexts, and on strengthening the capacity of actors to create, diffuse and use knowledge and enable innovation (Rivera & Sulaiman, 2009), and so consequently the role of farmers as innovators and the value of local knowledge receives more attention (Brunori et al, 2013).…”

“…even extensionists working intensively with farmers in participatory research projects are often not aware of the experimental capacity of farmers (Bentley et al, 2010). It will be crucial to find appropriate ways of participatory research and joint learning between the actors within the AIS, and lately a considerable number of promising concepts evolved, such as adaptive co-management (Armitage, Marschke, & Plummer, 2008), networks of practice (Oreszczyn, Lane, & Carr, 2010), or learning and innovation networks (Brunori et al, 2013;Moschitz, Roep, Brunori, & Tisenkopfs, 2015). Concrete examples how to make more active use of farmers' experimental capacities include experiential learning groups of Danish dairy farmers that developed concrete solutions to improve the health of their herds based on mutual advice, group induced experiments and common evaluation of the results (Vaarst et al, 2007).…”

“…Second, organic agriculture was developed by farmers' grassroots organizations, where farmers themselves were responsible for advances and innovations. Official research and extension only played a minor role in the development of organic agriculture (Brunori et al, 2013;Padel, 2001), and so organic agriculture developed by practical experiments and trials of farmers and practical researchers. The lack of advice and formal research in the initial phase of organic agriculture leads to the assumption that organic farmers have developed a culture of experimentation (Gerber, Hoffmann, & Kügler, 1996).…”

Learning and Innovation Networks for Sustainable Agriculture: Processes of Co-evolution, Joint Reflection and Facilitation

“…LINSA have developed in response to the changed knowledge environment and, in many cases, outside and not seldom in conflict with the AKS in place (Brunori et al, 2013). This special issue therefore in particular looks at the institutional aspects and processes of learning and innovation networks for sustainable agriculture and rural development.…”

“…All together they represent a great diversity of available knowledge resources which are used in agricultural and rural development practices: technical and economic, production and marketing oriented, codified and tacit, local and distant, farmers and expert created, issue specific and more generic, necessary for the solution of specific problems and systemic transformation, etc. Innovation occurs when material and immaterial resources flow through a network, and actors strategically use the potential such a network provides (Brunori et al 2013). Finally, the study of LINSA raises the question whether there is something specific to innovation and learning when related to sustainability.…”