The AKIS Concept and its Relevance in Selected EU Member States

Studies in Agricultural Economics, 2012

The new challenges facing the European agricultural and rural sectors call for a review of the links between knowledge production and its use to foster innovation, and for a deeper analysis of the potential of the current Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems (AKIS) to react to the evolving context. This paper highlights how the Italian AKIS places itself in the new emerging framework, with a particular emphasis on the incentives guiding the system and the experiences of monitoring and evaluating the national AKIS policy. It shows that important changes are needed to approach the new efforts Europe is adopting to match innovation demand and supply.

The concept of Innovation Systems (IS) exists not only in a significant amount of research on innovation since the late 1980s but also increasingly in the documents of public policies on innovation and of international development agencies (OECD, EU, World Bank, etc.). In general, this concept aims to understand how a set of institutions, organizations, networks and actors can interact to foster innovation in a given national, regional, or sectoral space, or in a space constructed by companies or around the development of a technology (Carlsson et al., 2002). Originally used to study technological innovations in industry and the development of ‘knowledge economies’ (Foray, 2009), the concept was extended to the analysis of agricultural and agrifood activities (World Bank, 2006). It seems to have found fertile ground in this domain because of the existence of specialized research and development institutions and a renewed interest in agricultural innovation in pursuit of sustainable development (McIntyre et al., 2009). Adaptations of the concept of IS to this sector have been proposed, such as that of ‘Agricultural Innovation System’ (EU SCAR, 2012), but since there seem to be a multiplicity of definitions and usages, a critical review is called for. This article aims to analyze how different ‘knowledge communities’ (Conein, 2004) use the concept of IS in agriculture or agrifood systems, and how these uses question the specifics of innovation in this sector: do these communities’ scientific publications reflect a simple application of a general IS approach to a sector? Or do they instead give rise to more original proposals which include the conditions under which innovation can take place in the agriculture and agrifood sector? To answer these questions, we base our work on a literature review and a bibliometric study undertaken on a selection of international journals on agriculture and innovation. In the first part, we review the evolution and diversity of studies on the concept of IS in order to propose an analytical framework based on three areas: the concept’s theoretical and analytical frame of reference, its area of application, and its purposes and uses. In the second part, the results of the bibliometric work are presented in terms of indicators derived from the above framework. These results are discussed in the third part. They suggest that there exist four distinct knowledge communities, each of which questions in a different manner the specific character of the work mobilizing IS to study agricultural and/or agrifood innovation.

2018

The role of agricultural advisory services (AAS) has considerably evolved during the last decades and a diversity of new innovation support service (ISS) functions has emerged. The plethora of new forms of ISS has one common feature, which is the activity of linking actors within the Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System (AKIS). So far, there is dearth of information concerning the diverse ISS and thus the need for empirical research and systematization of findings. Mapping ISS and their functions within innovation processes is thus necessary for targeted strengthening of such services. As part of the EU funded AgriSpin project (www.agrispin.eu), which aimed at “creating space for innovations” in agriculture across Europe, this contribution addresses the above mentioned knowledge gaps by a. elaborating a generic typology appropriate to capture the variety of ISS, b. structuring selected innovations along the degree of technological change and coordination levels, and c. testi...

2014

Recently, Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation resp. Information Systems (AKIS) have gained considerable attention in scientific and political fora in the EU. AKIS is considered a key concept to identify, analyse and assess the various actors as well as their communication and interaction performances for innovation processes in the agricultural sector. Through qualitative expert interviews and with the help of institutional mapping, the national AKIS, and especially the role(s) and functions of advisory services as one major actor within these systems, were investigated in selected EU member states (BG, DE, F, IRL, PT and UK). We present the varied national conceptions of AKIS and compare them qualitatively with regard to their institutional settings, and their overall policy frameworks and coordinating structures. Specific attention is given to agricultural advisory services and their integration within the respective national or country-wide AKIS. Conclusions are drawn with rega...

2014

Contemporarily, agriculture is facing many challenges connected with growing food demand and scarcity of natural resources. In meeting these challenges innovation has become of crucial importance. The paper aims at providing an insight on the topic of the needs and possibilities of open innovation and its significance for the transition towards sustainable and more productive agriculture of EU. We argue that given the complexity of innovation process there emerges the need for effective interactions between all actors of agriculture sector. We conclude that new instrument of EU policy: European Innovation Partnership, which promotes open innovation approach should facilitate emergence of networks of collaboration in agriculture. Such an approach will stimulate innovation processes and will help to give better responses to contemporary challenges faced by agriculture.

agricultural systems

Innovation is receiving increased attention among policymakers as a means of addressing sustainable economic development challenges. However, a range of factors such as inappropriate physical and knowledge infrastructures, incoherence of institutional frameworks, or lack of specific capabilities may have a negative impact on the functioning of the agricultural innovation system. The purpose of this paper is to apply a comprehensive innovation systems analytical framework, reconciling analyses of systemic structures, functions, failures and merits of innovation systems to assess and compare the performance of the agricultural innovation systems of Scotland and the Netherlands. To achieve this an analytical framework was drawn up based on the available literature, and through a process that included document analysis and a series of semi-structured interviews and workshops with experts in the two countries the agrifood sectors were empirically assessed. In both countries, systemic failures in terms of actors’ interactions and competencies as well as market and incentive structures were revealed. However, differences emerge between the two countries that appear to relate more to social and cultural (soft institutions) differences rather than the formal legal and regulatory frameworks (hard institutions).

Critical Policy Studies 6(1): 40-66., 2012

The knowledge-based bio-economy has gained prominence as a research and innovation policy of the European Union. As a policy framework the knowledge-based bio-economy has attracted two contending visions, which can be analyzed as imaginaries – strategic discourses prefiguring a possible, desirable future. In the dominant vision, life sciences will enhance productivity for European competitive advantage 10 in global value chains. A rival vision links agroecology and shorter food supply chains, as a means for farmers to gain more from the value that they add. Each vision favors a different diagnosis of unsustainable agriculture and eco-efficient remedies. Each extends a different paradigm of agri-innovation, foreseeing an economic community that can gain from future markets. These two contending visions give different meanings to the same key terms – knowledge, biological resources and economy. In the EU’s research program for a knowledge-based bio-economy, a life sciences vision dominates the priorities, though agroecology has also gained a significant place in response to proposals from stakeholder networks. Through these efforts, research policy priorities have been opened up to more plural agri-innovation pathways.

The European Union (EU) has introduced new policy instruments such as the EIP-Agri and multi-actor partnerships in an attempt to stimulate innovation in agriculture. In addition, Leader has been replaced by the multi-funded Community-Led Local Development approach. These initiatives are being implemented across the EU despite the great variety of agricultural and rural circumstances, and in particular the continuing differences between post-socialist Member States and other parts of the EU in terms of farm structure, social attitudes and so on. Can programmes that have primarily been developed from a western EU perspective ever be successfully implemented in the eastern EU or is a different approach needed? Although it is still rather early to assess the degree of success in the implementation of the new approaches, the debate on the possible shape of EU innovation policy post-2020 has already started. Thus it is not too soon for researchers and policy makers in eastern central Europe to share their experiences and ideas on how knowledge sharing and innovation can best be encouraged in agriculture and rural areas of the eastern EU, and in the V4 countries in particular, in order to influence the post-2020 agenda. http://www.erdn.eu/conference/14th-european-rural-development-network-conference-budapest-2016/

The European Innovation Partnership (EIP) is considered to be a new phenomenon signalling political will, highly relevant issue in contemporary domain of discussions among practitioners and researchers. While practitioners lack experience, researchers make attempts to identify the factors that influence effectiveness of an innovation partnership, explore the indicators and techniques to determine and evaluate its effectiveness. Aim of the study presented in the article is to determine the external and internal factors that influence effectiveness of the European Innovation Partnership by analysing the operating conditions of an operational group of the European Innovation Partnership in Agriculture (EIP-AGRI). Expert evaluation was carried out by experts who have scientific and practical experience: scientists, policy makers, innovators, developing an innovation partnership. The force field analysis has shown that the number of negative factors of EIP effectiveness exceeds the number of positive factors, and the factors analysed and evaluated allow to identify potential negative consequences in a timely manner and provide the opportunity to predict effectiveness of the EIP-based projects.

2012

he world is changing quickly and dramatically, bringing a range of challenges to European agriculture, including climate change, impact on the environment, pressures on natural resources, increasing competition and demographic changes. Therefore, Agricultural research(AR) is being asked to address issues that are both multi- and interdisciplinary: convergence of knowledge from different disciplines is important to achieve a better understanding of these complex and interlinked problems. The aim of this paper is to analyse the framework of European Agricultural Research activities (mechanisms, policies, strategies) and to reflect on how to further implement the Lisbon key concept of making EU the most dynamic and competitive knowledge based economy in the world. In this knowledge based economy, research and scientific innovation will be the drivers for human wellness and health and, therefore, research within agribusiness sector and nutrition will have an increasing role in this stra...

2005

Farmers and businesses need to adapt constantly if they are to survive and compete in the rapidly evolving environment associated with the contemporary agricultural sector. Rethinking agricultural research as part of a dynamic system of innovation could help to ...

Science, Technology and Human Values 38(1): 94-125, 2013

The Knowledge-Based Bio-Economy (KBBE) has gained prominence as an agricultural R&D agenda of the European Union. Specific research policies are justified as necessary to create a KBBE for societal progress. Playing the role of a master narrative, the KBBE attracts rival visions; each favours a different diagnosis of unsustainable agriculture and its remedies in agro-food innovation. Each vision links a technoscientific paradigm with a quality paradigm: the dominant life sciences vision combines converging technologies with decomposability, while a marginal one combines agro-ecology with integral product integrity. From these divergent visions, rival stakeholder networks contend for influence over research policies and priorities, especially within the Framework Programme 7 (FP7) on Food, Agriculture, Fisheries and Biotechnology (FAFB), which has aimed to promote a Knowledge-Based Bio-Economy. Although the FAFB programme has favoured a life sciences vision, agro-ecological approaches have gained a presence, thus overcoming their general lock-out from agricultural research agendas. In their own way, each rival paradigm emphasises the need for collective systems to gather information for linking producers with users, as a rationale for the public sector to fund distinctive research priorities.

This paper introduces Rapid Appraisal of Agricultural Innovation Systems (RAAIS). RAAIS is a diagnostic tool that can guide the analysis of complex agricultural problems and innovation capacity of the agricultural system in which the complex agricultural problem is embedded. RAAIS focuses on the integrated analysis of different dimensions of problems (e.g. biophysical, technological, socio-cultural, economic, institutional and political), interactions across different levels (e.g. national, regional, local), and the constraints and interests of different stakeholder groups (farmers, government, researchers, etc.). Innovation capacity in the agricultural system is studied by analysing (1) constraints within the institutional, sectoral and technological subsystems of the agricultural system, and (2) the existence and performance of the agricultural innovation support system. RAAIS combines multiple qualitative and quantitative methods, and insider (stakeholders) and outsider (researchers) analyses which allow for critical triangulation and validation of the gathered data. Such an analysis can provide specific entry points for innovations to address the complex agricultural problem under study, and generic entry points for innovation related to strengthening the innovation capacity of agricultural system and the functioning of the agricultural innovation support system. The application of RAAIS to analyse parasitic weed problems in the rice sector, conducted in Tanzania and Benin, demonstrates the potential of the diagnostic tool and provides recommendations for its further development and use.

European Innovation Partnerships (EIPs) are a new instrument to promote innovations and to overcome sector specific gaps in technology transfer. Particularly in the present day agri-culture sector, there is a strong perception of a valley-of-death in innovation processes. This study had the overall objective to develop a model for transdisciplinary cooperation and innovation brokerage on the federal level of Brandenburg in Germany in the pre-implementation phase of EIP. The formative approach combined two methodological streams: first we adapted a stage-gate-process elaborated initially for product optimization in industry. Secondly, we framed a de-sign for business model development. The process aimed to 1. identify innovation gaps, 2. assess political and socio-economic frame conditions, and 3. investigate structural elements for a pilot innovation network. The gates were used to validate the results with regional stakeholders' re-quirements. The process revealed a need for or...

The knowledge transfer and innovation in agriculture is a transversal priority of the European Rural Development Policy (RDP) 2014-2020, aiming at fostering the competitiveness and sustainability of agriculture and forestry sectors. Truly, according to the wide literature, the European Commission recognizes the need for building bridges between research, farmers, business and advisory services and adheres to the "interactive model" for innovation. This latter has to be implemented through the operational groups, which apply for co-operation projects for innovation. Given its political and financial relevance, this EU policy framework is likely to be influential in tracking pathways of innovation in agriculture across the Member States.