co-innovation – new approaches to translating research outputs for innovation in agriculture
TRANSCRIPT
Co-innovation – new approaches to translating research outputs for
innovation in agriculture
Julie Ingram
Outline
• Models of Innovation
• Translating research
• European policy context
• CCRI research project approach
• Conclusions
Innovation
Transformation in European agriculture has brought about an evolution of ideas about knowledge and innovation
Linear model of innovation and adoption
Interactive innovation systems
Extension/advice Farmer
From a linear Agricultural Knowledge System to…
• Reorientation of the CAP -increasing emphasis on sustainability
• Diverse actors with diverse knowledge needs
• Economic drivers- competitiveness
• Advice/extension/research funding reforms - privatisation, demand driven
Research
A networked Agricultural and Knowledge Innovation System
Government driven and funded integrated AKS pluralistic and responsive AKISEU SCAR AKIS Report 2012
Innovation
Science-driven - Innovation is development of products and technologies by science for end users
• carried out by research organisations with little involvement of users; outputs are judged on scientific quality
Innovation-driven - networks of producers and users of knowledge are integral to the research process and outputs are judged on relevance
• Innovation is described as an emergent product ‘co-produced’ through interactions between multiple actors
Innovation
Challenges in translating research
DeMeyer 2014
Modified from:
Birner et al. 2006
Science continues to be essential for innovation
But challenges in translating research into practice
Disconnectbetween research and farming
combined
science-driven and innovation-driven research ensures
research is better adapted to needs
increased collaboration
between researchers and
end users
integration of different actors
Translating research more effectively
Innovation: the process of creating and putting into use combinations of knowledge from many different sources
New partnership under the Common Agricultural Policy combining
• Rural development programme - linking farmers, advisors, researchers, and businesses (etc.) in operational groups
• New programme of research funding (H2020)-multi actor approach to boost translation of research
• EIP Network facility
European Innovation Partnership „Agricultural Productivity and Sustainability“
Valorising European Research for Innovation in Agriculture and Forestrywww.valerie.eu
EU Seventh framework
• Outreach and translation of results into field practices from EU and nationally funded research projects (agriculture and forestry) is limited
• The overall aim of VALERIE is to boost the outreach of research by facilitating the integration into innovative field practices
VALERIE - background and overall aim
• Review, extract and summarise knowledge - from research projects
• Translate “promising” research results into formats for end-users
• Work with stakeholders in case studies to identify innovation needs and to assess, refine and test research results
• Use expert and stakeholders’ knowledge to create a structured vocabulary
• Develop a ‘smart’ search engine (AskValerie.eu) for research outputs, for use by farm/forestry community and embed this in EIP-NF
The VALERIE objectives
The VALERIE approach
Extract knowledge for innovation• Extract, screen,
summarise• Create knowledge base
for AskValerie.eu• Identify gaps
Create data infrastructure
• Themes structure the extraction
• Structured vocabulary
Case studies on innovation• Articulate knowledge
needs• Evaluate solutions
Create smart search tool AskValerie.euIntegrate into EIP NF
Stakeholderdriven
Thematicdriven
The VALERIE approach
• Theme-driven approach- 6 thematic domains structure the research extraction and summaries
• Stakeholder-driven approach - co-innovation in 10 case studies
• Structured vocabularies –to structure data and create AskValerie
It combines the benefits of Interactive innovation model with effective translation of research
Theme-driven approach
Research is extracted and summarised according to the following themes:
• Crop rotation, soil cover management, IPM
• Ecosystem and social services in agriculture and forestry
• Soil management as an integrated agro-ecol system
• Water management in agriculture
• Sustainable integrated supply chain services & tools
• Recycling and smart use of biomass and food waste
• Farmers, advisers, supply chain actors (SHs) in 10 case studies identify research needs
• SHs apply, test and refine screened research outputs (structured by theme) for their innovation potential in the local context, and
• assess viability of solutions and expose barriers
Stakeholder driven approach
• Catchment management
• Soil management under pigs
• Forest-based bio economy
• Herbicide reduction in arable crops
• Soil fertility and pesticidesreduction
• Sustainable forestry
• Irrigated maize and tomato
• Bread wheat quality
• Onion supply chain
• Potato supply chain
Case studies
Red flags= case studies; green flags = partners
Series of meetings in case studies
• Farmers identify research needs• Scientists search and retrieve ‘best matching’ information• Scientists translate science into end user format (Fact sheets) • Farmers review Fact sheets and feedback to scientists• Farmers test information- assess viability with trials
Iterative process - repeat in 3-4 cycles
Stakeholder driven approach
What are the possible reasons causing internal brown spots in potatoes?
Is the variety Innovator known for internal brown spot problems and what could be the reason?
Yes, Dutch advisors recognise the problem. They mention low calcium uptake as a possible reason. This is confirmed in research (ref).
If low Calcium uptake is the main factor causing internal brown spot, how can variety differences be explained?
Stakeholder driven approach
The VALERIE approach
Extract knowledge for innovation• Extract, screen,
summarise• Create knowledge base
for. AskValerie.eu• Identify gaps
Create data infrastructure
• Themes structure the extraction
• Structured vocabulary
Case studies on innovation• Articulate knowledge
needs• Evaluate solutions
Create smart search tool AskValerie.euIntegrate into EIP NF
Stakeholderdriven
Thematicdriven
Vocabulary
Create structured vocabulary
• Expert vocabularies (concepts, issues, problems and questions) relevant to the 6 themes collected
• SH vocabularies particular to cases studies are collected
• Structured vocabulary created- used as a tool/retrieval filter to search best matching information to meet SH needs and to create AskValerie.eu
Search with Google, wiki or OrgEprint
broad-leaved dock
results of previous
research in the
agronomy &
forestry domain
VALERIE
Search with VALERIE – find the golden documents
VALERIE
AskValerie.eu
• makes knowledge accessible to the end-users - farmers, foresters, advisers and researchers, extension orgs
• understands the individual user:• It knows the context of the user
• It understands the problem
• It understands what possible solutions match the problem
• will enable them to share their empirical knowledge, experience and views with peers across Europe
Can this approach provide a model for boosting the outreach of research?
Reflections on ‘doing’ co-innovation
Co-innovation is not a recipe: there are elements of participatory and multi-stakeholder approaches:
• social learning
• combining formal knowledge with SH knowledge
• stakeholder management
• process facilitation
• monitoring and evaluation
• Assumptions that SHs and researchers will engage
• SHs take time to identify and articulate needs
• Assumptions that scientists will find relevant research
• Ambitious – raises SH expectations, require concrete outputs
• Relationship building is important
• Dealing with diversity
• Who participates?
Reflections on ‘doing’ co-innovation
Translating research and co-innovation
DeMeyer 2014
Modified from:
Birner et al. 2006
Operational groupsMulti actors research projects
• Shows that co-innovation is more than SH consultation
• Combines SH learning with utilising existing research outputs -benefits of science-driven and innovation driven
• Mobilises SHs to assess their innovation demands and capture their knowledge for integration into AskValerie.eu
• AskValerie.eu -translates promising research results into end-user content
Conclusion: translating research and on-farm innovation
