The TransForum Model: Transforming Agro Innovation Toward Sustainable Development

168 Pages·2010·1.45 MB·English

The TransForum Model:
Transforming Agro Innovation
Toward Sustainable Development

Henk C. van Latesteijn and Karin Andeweg (eds.)
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Editors
Dr. Henk C. van Latesteijn
Karin Andeweg

TransForum
P.O. Box 80
2700 AB Zoetermeer
The Netherlands
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Table of Content

Preface .................................................................................................................... 7

Chapter 1. The need to for a new agro innovation system ................................. 9

1.1. Introduction: The challenge ........................................................................ 9

1.2. Innovating in the agricultural system ........................................................ 11

1.3. Sustainable development as an innovation target ...................................... 14

1.4. Characteristics of innovation and the innovation system .......................... 16

1.5. System innovation as a process of engagement ........................................ 18
1.6. Five motivating assumptions for enhancing sustainable development in

agriculture ........................................................................................................ 21

Assumption 1: Sustainable development is a dynamic process ................... 22

Assumption 2: Sustainable development needs system innovation ............. 22

Assumption 3: System innovation is a non-linear learning process ............ 23

Assumption 4: System innovation requires a multi-stakeholder approach .. 23
Assumption 5: Multi-stakeholder approaches imply trans-disciplinary

knowledge creation ...................................................................................... 24

1.7. Stimulating sustainable development in a learning-by-doing experiment. 24

1.8. References ................................................................................................. 26

Chapter 2. Inventions for future sustainable development in agriculture ...... 28

2.1. Inventions – an introduction ...................................................................... 29

2.2. Inventions in agricultural infrastructure .................................................... 30

2.2.1. Ownership issues: Inventions, innovations and IPR ......................... 30

2.2.1.1. Ownership and agricultural inventions of the past ..................... 30

2.2.1.2. Ownership & modern inventions in agricultural sciences .......... 32

2.2.1.3. Open innovation under attack .................................................... 33

2.2.2. Organization of inventions and innovation ........................................ 34

2.2.2.1. ‘Ware’ elements of inventions and entrepreneurship ................. 34

2.3. Three ways to stimulate needed inventions ............................................... 36

2.3.1. Intersectional inventions .................................................................... 37

2.3.1.1. Organic agriculture ..................................................................... 37

2.3.1.2. GM crops .................................................................................... 38

2.3.2. Directional inventions ........................................................................ 39

2.3.2.1. Cisgenesis ................................................................................... 39

2.3.3. Open innovation ................................................................................ 40

2.3.3.1. Care farming .............................................................................. 40

2.3.3.2. Energy producing greenhouses .................................................. 41

2.4. Conclusion ......................................................................................... 42

2.5. References ................................................................................................. 44

Chapter 3. Organizing innovations and transitions .......................................... 47

3.1. Introduction: Context of the research ........................................................ 47

3.2. Theoretical building blocks ....................................................................... 49
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3.3. Coming in from the Space of Flows .......................................................... 51

3.3.1. Innovation as reconfiguration ............................................................ 52

3.3.2. Between ‘business as usual’ and ‘market failures’ ............................ 53

3.4. Where the Space of Flows meets the Space of Places ............................... 56

3.4.1. Perspective from the Space of Places ................................................ 57

3.4.2. The importance of a 3P regional business case .................................. 59

3.5. Conclusion: breaking the developmental lock-in ...................................... 60

3.6. References ................................................................................................. 62

Chapter 4. For or Against Innovation? The influence of images ..................... 65

4.1. Introduction ........................................................................................ 65

4.2. Images in innovation ................................................................................. 66

4.3. Hypotheses and research approach ............................................................ 68

4.3.1. Hypotheses ........................................................................................ 68

4.3.2. Research Approach ............................................................................ 69

4.4. The role of images – case studies .............................................................. 70

4.4.1. Images within innovation projects - Northern Frisian Woods ........... 70

4.4.2. Societal influences on innovation experiments - New Mixed Farm .. 72

4.5. Dealing with images in innovation ............................................................ 73

4.5.1. Collaborative Visualization ............................................................... 73

4.5.2. Managing Images............................................................................... 75

4.6. Conclusion ................................................................................................ 76

4.7. References ................................................................................................. 77

Chapter 5. Mobilizing consumer demand for sustainable development ......... 79

5.1. Introduction ............................................................................................... 79

5.2. Attitude-behavior gaps .............................................................................. 83

5.3. Stimulating sustainable consumer behavior .............................................. 87

5.4. Facilitating the three routes of mobilizing sustainable consumption . 90

5.4.1. Route 1: Facilitating motivation..................................................... 90

5.4.1.2. The multiple selves in sustainable behavior ........................... 90

5.4.1.3. Social norms in sustainable development .............................. 91

5.4.1.3. Implicit factors in behavior aimed at sustainable development92

5.4.1.4. The willingness to pay for sustainability labels and logo ....... 93

5.4.2. Route 2: Facilitating ability ............................................................ 94

5.4.3. Route 3: Facilitating opportunity ................................................... 95

5.4.3.1. Corporate social responsibility activities ............................... 95

5.4.3.2. Enhancing opportunity from the primary production level .... 95

5.4.3.3. Facilitating opportunity and consumer choice at the point of

purchase 96

5.4.4. Methodological challenges in stimulating consumer demand........ 97

5.5. Key lessons learned............................................................................ 98

5.6. Conclusion ....................................................................................... 100

5.7. References ............................................................................................... 100
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Chapter 6. From motivating assumptions to a practical innovation model .. 104

6.1. Introduction ............................................................................................. 104

6.1.1. Measuring and explaining performance ....................................... 105

6.2. Methodology ........................................................................................... 107

6.3. Performance of cases and assumptions ................................................... 108

6.3.1. Performance groups ......................................................................... 109

6.3.2. Performance of the five motivating assumptions ........................ 111

6.4. Influence of explanatory attributes and links to motivating assumptions113

6.4.1. Explanatory attribute categories and performance........................... 114

6.4.2. Explanatory attributes, core strategies and the motivating assumptions116

6.4.2.1. Influence of initiating conditions ............................................. 116
6.4.2.2. Influence of attributes related to assumption 4 (multi-stakeholder

engagement) .......................................................................................... 117
6.4.2.3. Influence of attributes related to motivating assumptions 2, 3,

and 5 ...................................................................................................... 120

6.4.3. Key findings .................................................................................... 122
6.5. From motivating assumptions to a practical innovation model for

innovation ...................................................................................................... 123

6.5.1. Core strategy I: Action experiment formation and guidance ........... 124

6.5.2. Core strategy II: Process monitoring and reflection ........................ 124
6.6. Key learnings from working with the motivating assumptions and core

strategies ........................................................................................................ 126
6.6.1. Dealing with the wickedness of sustainability in setting project vision

and ambition .............................................................................................. 126

6.6.2. Dealing with inherent complexity.................................................... 127

6.6.3. Dealing with knowledge creation in multi-stakeholder groups ....... 128

6.6.4. Dealing with monitoring and reflection ........................................... 130

6.6.4.1. Dynamic Learning Agenda ...................................................... 130

6.6.4.2. Interactive learning and reflexive monitoring in action ........... 131
6.6.5. Dealing with the tension between a project and its institutional

context ....................................................................................................... 132

6.7. Applying the TransForum model ............................................................ 134

6.7.1. A traveler’s guide to managing sustainable development................ 134

6.7.2. Implications with regard to the current innovation system .............. 135

6.7.3. Broader application of the model..................................................... 135

6.8. References ............................................................................................... 137
Chapter 7. Transforming agriculture: a new approach to stimulate

sustainable development. .................................................................................. 141

7.1. Introduction ............................................................................................. 141

7.2. The TransForum model ........................................................................... 143

7.2.1. From assumptions to principles ....................................................... 143

7.2.2. The sixth principle ........................................................................... 145

7.2.3. Accompanying strategies ................................................................. 147

7.3. Contributions from scientific disciplines ................................................ 149
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7.3.1. The Natural Sciences lens ................................................................ 149

7.3.2. The Social Sciences lens .................................................................. 151

7.4. A promising perspective .......................................................................... 153
Appendix I. TransForum: stimulating innovation for sustainable

development by learning by doing .................................................................... 156

Action experiments ............................................................................... 158

Scientific research ................................................................................. 158

Learning projects ................................................................................... 158

Appendix II. Action experiments explicated ................................................... 160

1. Action experiment SynErgy .............................................................. 160

2. Action experiment More about Food ................................................ 160

3. Action experiment Regional food chain ........................................... 161

4. Action experiment Green Care .......................................................... 161

5. Action experiment New markets and vital coalitions Heuvelland ... 162

6. Action experiment New Mixed Farm........................................... 162

7. Action experiment Saline Agriculture .............................................. 162

8. Action experiment Northern Frisian Woods .................................... 163

Appendix III. Overview experiments & projects ............................................ 164

Action experiments ............................................................................... 164

Scientific research projects .................................................................... 165

Learning projects ................................................................................... 165

Appendix IV ....................................................................................................... 167
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Preface

Why does so much research not result in beneficial applications in practice? This
question, sometimes referred to as the knowledge paradox, has been raised in the
political arena and has resulted in developing and testing new procedures to in-
itiate and fund innovative research on sustainable development. Classic research
tends to be mono-disciplinary while literature suggests that societal questions as-
sociated with sustainable development may require a new more interdisciplinary
approach including substantial interaction with stakeholders and policy makers.
The TransForum innovation program, results of which are reported in this book,
was organized in such a new way. Not through regular governmental or university
channels or through the Dutch National Science Foundation but on the basis of a
special Governmental Fund filled with money originating from the sale of natural
gas to customers outside the Netherlands. These funds were put aside to stimulate
innovative research. In 2004, 800 million euros were dedicated to a national re-
search program on innovation. One subgroup was to study sustainable develop-
ment and TransForum – focusing on the agricultural sector - was one of the pro-
grams being funded in that category for 30 million euros, to be matched by
societal partners at 50%. The scientific quality of these programs, including the
one of TransForum, was judged by committees of the Royal Dutch Academy of
Sciences, Arts and Letters and the relevance for society by the Central Planning
Agency of the Netherlands. Programs were only approved when both judgments
were positive. This was also a new procedure as assessments of research programs
are traditionally based on peer review only.

This book is published at the end of the program period in 2010 and reflects ac-
tivities of the scientific research program of TransForum consisting of 25 research
projects. Their identification and set-up also followed an original, unusual ap-
proach. The overall TransForum program was characterized by demand-
orientation: problems to be studied were identified and submitted to TransForum
by entrepreneurs in agribusiness and various stakeholder groups. Overall, 33 so-
called action experiments were identified and much time was spent in discussing
and defining possible research needs when solving problems related to the expe-
riments. Such discussions are not easy, require new abilities that go beyond those
associated with classic research and take a lot of time. Understandably, some re-
searchers are therefore less than enthusiastic to embrace this new interactive ap-
proach which is particularly relevant when studying so-called: ‘wicked’ problems
involving many stakeholders with widely differing goals and viewpoints, while
simple solutions do not exist.

The following chapters present, therefore, the results of a continuing struggle
and certainly do not offer any magic clues as to perfect procedures for future re-
search on ‘wicked’ problems. But results should be helpful for scientists and oth-
ers struggling to develop effective research procedures that are both scientifically
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robust, while offering essential input in solving societal problems of the 21th cen-
tury. Here emphasis is on agricultural development but results obtained are also
relevant for research in general.

Prof.dr. Johan Bouma
Em. Professor of Soil Science, Wageningen University
Chair Advisory Board TransForum.
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Chapter 1. The need to for a new agro
innovation system
Henk C. van Latesteijn1 and Karin Andeweg2
[email protected]; TransForum, P.O.Box 80, 2700 AB, Zoetermeer, The
Netherlands
2 [email protected]; TransForum, P.O.Box 80, 2700 AB, Zoetermeer, The
Netherlands

Abstract Agriculture has seen a tremendous development in both production and
productivity growth during the last decades. A continuous innovation effort was at
the heart of these positive developments. And with that growth, the negative ef-
fects on the physical and social environment have also become apparent. For the
coming decades the world population will continue to grow, and rising incomes
will lead to the increasing demand for food and other agricultural produce. These
developments urge the agricultural sector to shift toward a more sustainable de-
velopment so that production will continue to rise and the impact on the environ-
ment will diminish. Systems innovation is needed to bring this about. Based on a
large number of action experiments we propose five assumptions that may alter
the way in which innovation can be organized and stimulated. This book explores
the validity and applicability of these assumptions based on an extensive body of
research of various disciplines, that was carried out alongside the action experi-
ments. The results are presented as a practical model to transform agro innovation.
1.1. Introduction: The challenge
Innovation in agriculture considerably improved the livelihood of all of us. In the
1950’s the ravaged countries after the Second World War needed to rebuild their
agricultural production system. At the same time the demand for food was explod-
ing. Through enormous increases in productivity and yields it was possible to feed
more people. And even better: innovations in agricultural production and
processing made it possible to provide all this food at a decreasing price level.
This development was one of the main economic drivers that boosted worldwide
economic development by providing an income surplus that could be spent on all
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sorts of new consumer goods. Never before, the average amount of food per capita
was that high (see figure 1.1)1.

Fig. 1.1. World food production 1960-2000; index 1960=100 (FAO 2002).
However, this development has its dark side also. Increased agricultural pro-
duction created negative ecological and social side effects (see o.a. Bekman 1998;
Jongbloed and Lenis 1998; Schiere and Van Keulen 1999; Wallinga 2009; Boo-
gaard et. al. 2010;). Increasing yields and an ever rising productivity led to an
overuse of non-priced production factors. Water and air quality, as well as soil fer-
tility and natural biodiversity all suffer from overuse and overexploitation. Abun-
dant use of nutrients and pesticides in intensive farming methods and emission of
greenhouse gasses is causing environmental pollution, locally and globally. Gov-
ernment, consumers, and citizens have become more critical on different aspects
of agricultural developments. In the eyes of a large number of consumers and citi-
zens, the underlying values related to respectfully treating animals, safeguarding
the planet and continuing profits are threatened by the way in which agricultural
production and processing is executed these days. So, the relationship of agricul-
ture with society has shifted. Ecological and societal limits to agriculture and the
larger food production system have been reached (Dunn 2003). This constitutes
the core of the sustainability discourse that is facing the agricultural sector with an
enormous challenge.

1 Please note this concerns the average amount of food per capita. This does thus not imply that
every person has accessibility to or availability of sufficient food.