IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/ags/ccsesa/230378.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Supporting Innovation in Organic Agriculture: A European Perspective Using Experience from the SOLID Project

Author

Listed:
  • Padel, Susanne
  • Vaarst, Mette
  • Zaralis, Konstantinos

Abstract

Organic farming is recognized as one source for innovation helping agriculture to develop sustainably. However, the understanding of innovation in agriculture is characterized by technical optimism, relying mainly on new inputs and technologies originating from research. The paper uses the alternative framework of innovation systems describing innovation as the outcome of stakeholder interaction and examples from the SOLID (Sustainable Organic Low-Input Dairying) project to discuss the role of farmers, researchers and knowledge exchange for innovation. We used a farmer-led participatory approach to identify problems of organic and low-input dairy farming in Europe and develop and evaluate innovative practices. Experience so far shows that improvements of sustainability can be made through better exploitation of knowledge. For example, it is recognized that optimal utilization of good quality forage is vitally important, but farmers showed a lack of confidence in the reliability of forage production both in quantity and quality. We conclude that the systems framework improves the understanding of innovation processes in organic agriculture. Farmer-led research is an effective way to bring together the scientific approach with the farmers’ practical and context knowledge in finding solutions to problems experienced by farmers and to develop sustainability.

Suggested Citation

  • Padel, Susanne & Vaarst, Mette & Zaralis, Konstantinos, 2015. "Supporting Innovation in Organic Agriculture: A European Perspective Using Experience from the SOLID Project," Sustainable Agriculture Research, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 4(3 Special).
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:ccsesa:230378
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.230378
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/230378/files/p32_32-41_.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.22004/ag.econ.230378?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Tom MacMillan & Tim G. Benton, 2014. "Agriculture: Engage farmers in research," Nature, Nature, vol. 509(7498), pages 25-27, May.
    2. Hall, Andrew & Mytelka, Lynn & Oyeyinka, Banji, 2005. "Innovation Systems: Implications for agricultural policy and practice," ILAC Briefs 52512, Institutional Learning and Change (ILAC) Initiative.
    3. Volker Hoffmann & Kirsten Probst & Anja Christinck, 2007. "Farmers and researchers: How can collaborative advantages be created in participatory research and technology development?," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 24(3), pages 355-368, September.
    4. Koutsouris, Alex, 2012. "Facilitating Agricultural Innovation Systems: A critical realist approach," Studies in Agricultural Economics, Research Institute for Agricultural Economics, vol. 114(2), pages 1-7, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Nigel Scollan & Susanne Padel & Niels Halberg & John Hermansen & Pip Nicholas & Marketta Rinne & Raffaele Zanoli & Werner Zollitsch & Ludwig Lauwers, 2017. "Organic and Low†Input Dairy Farming: Avenues to Enhance Sustainability and Competitiveness in the EU," EuroChoices, The Agricultural Economics Society, vol. 16(3), pages 40-45, December.
    2. Simona Naspetti & Serena Mandolesi & Jeroen Buysse & Terhi Latvala & Philippa Nicholas & Susanne Padel & Ellen J. Van Loo & Raffaele Zanoli, 2017. "Determinants of the Acceptance of Sustainable Production Strategies among Dairy Farmers: Development and Testing of a Modified Technology Acceptance Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-16, October.
    3. Mallory, Ellen B. & Halberg, Niels & Andreasen, Lise & Delate, Kathleen & Ngouajio, Mathieu, 2015. "Innovations in Organic Food Systems for Sustainable Production and Ecosystem Services: An Introduction to the Special Issue of Sustainable Agriculture Research," Sustainable Agriculture Research, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 4(3 Special).
    4. Simona Naspetti & Serena Mandolesi & Jeroen Buysse & Terhi Latvala & Phillipa Nicholas & Susanne Padel & Ellen J. Loo & Raffaele Zanoli, 2021. "Consumer perception of sustainable practices in dairy production," Agricultural and Food Economics, Springer;Italian Society of Agricultural Economics (SIDEA), vol. 9(1), pages 1-26, December.
    5. Ndlovu Wiseman & Sabine Moebs & Marizvikuru Mwale & Jethro Zuwarimwe, 2022. "The Role Of Support Organisations In Promoting Organic Farming Innovations And Sustainability," Malaysian Journal of Sustainable Agriculture (MJSA), Zibeline International Publishing, vol. 6(1), pages 44-50, July.
    6. Rosa Maria Fanelli, 2021. "Barriers to Adopting New Technologies within Rural Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-15, November.
    7. Kim S. Alexander & Garry Greenhalgh & Magnus Moglia & Manithaythip Thephavanh & Phonevilay Sinavong & Silva Larson & Tom Jovanovic & Peter Case, 2020. "What is technology adoption? Exploring the agricultural research value chain for smallholder farmers in Lao PDR," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 37(1), pages 17-32, March.
    8. Vaarst, Mette, 2015. "The Role of Animals in Eco-functional Intensification of Organic Agriculture," Sustainable Agriculture Research, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 4(3 Special).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Pawera, Lukas & Manickam, Ravishankar & Wangungu, Carolyne & Bonnarith, Uon & Schreinemachers, Pepijn & Ramasamy, Srinivasan, 2024. "Guidance on farmer participation in the design, testing and scaling of agricultural innovations," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 218(C).
    2. Heng Yi Teah & Yasuhiro Fukushima & Motoharu Onuki, 2015. "Experiential Knowledge Complements an LCA-Based Decision Support Framework," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(9), pages 1-16, September.
    3. Benjamin C. Wilde & Eva Lieberherr & Andrew E. Okem & Johan Six, 2019. "Nitrified Human Urine as a Sustainable and Socially Acceptable Fertilizer: An Analysis of Consumer Acceptance in Msunduzi, South Africa," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(9), pages 1-13, April.
    4. Aurélie Cardona & Cristiana Carusi & Michael Mayerfeld Bell, 2021. "Engaged Intermediaries to Bridge the Gap between Scientists, Educational Practitioners and Farmers to Develop Sustainable Agri-Food Innovation Systems: A US Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-13, October.
    5. Reed, Brinton & Chan-Halbrendt, Catherine & Tamang, B.B. & Chaudhary, Narendra, 2014. "Analysis of conservation agriculture preferences for researchers, extension agents, and tribal farmers in Nepal using Analytic Hierarchy Process," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 127(C), pages 90-96.
    6. Pedro Andres Garzon Delvaux & Heinrich Hockmann & Peter Voigt & Pavel Ciaian & Sergio Gomez y Paloma, 2018. "The impact of private R&D on the performance of food-processing firms: Evidence from Europe, Japan and North America," JRC Research Reports JRC104144, Joint Research Centre.
    7. Mekonnen, Tigist, 2017. "Financing rural households and its impact: Evidence from randomized field experiment data," MERIT Working Papers 2017-009, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    8. Thanos Fragkandreas, 2023. "Case study research on innovation systems: paradox, dialectical analysis and resolution," Working Papers 65, Birkbeck Centre for Innovation Management Research, revised 15 May 2023.
    9. Ralph De Witte & Dirk Janssen & Samir Sayadi Gmada & Carmen García-García, 2023. "Best Practices for Training in Sustainable Greenhouse Horticulture," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-26, March.
    10. Kummer, Susanne & Leitgeb, Friedrich & Vogl, Christian R., 2017. "Farmers’ Own Research: Organic Farmers’ Experiments in Austria and Implications for Agricultural Innovation Systems," Sustainable Agriculture Research, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 6(01), February.
    11. Maria, Kernecker & Maria, Busse & Andrea, Knierim, 2021. "Exploring actors, their constellations, and roles in digital agricultural innovations," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 186(C).
    12. Michael Misiko & Pablo Tittonell & Ken Giller & Paul Richards, 2011. "Strengthening understanding and perceptions of mineral fertilizer use among smallholder farmers: evidence from collective trials in western Kenya," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 28(1), pages 27-38, February.
    13. Pamela Richardson-Ngwenya & Maria Höhne & Brigitte Kaufmann, 2018. "Participatory problem analysis of crop activities in rural Tanzania with attention to gender and wealth: ‘setting the scene’ to enhance relevance and avoid exclusion in pro-poor innovation projects," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 10(4), pages 859-880, August.
    14. Giovanna Sacchi & Leonardo Cei & Gianluca Stefani & Ginevra Virginia Lombardi & Benedetto Rocchi & Giovanni Belletti & Susanne Padel & Anna Sellars & Edneia Gagliardi & Giuseppe Nocella & Sarah Cardey, 2018. "A Multi-Actor Literature Review on Alternative and Sustainable Food Systems for the Promotion of Cereal Biodiversity," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 8(11), pages 1-29, November.
    15. Ingram, Julie & Dwyer, Janet & Gaskell, Peter & Mills, Jane & Wolf, Pieter de, 2018. "Reconceptualising translation in agricultural innovation: A co-translation approach to bring research knowledge and practice closer together," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 38-51.
    16. Peter Brown & Zvi Hochman & Kerry Bridle & Neil Huth, 2015. "Participatory approaches to address climate change: perceived issues affecting the ability of South East Queensland graziers to adapt to future climates," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 32(4), pages 689-703, December.
    17. Li, Yajuan & Zhang, Xinxin & Huang, Qianni & Pathera, Donasius & An, Zhichao & Jiao, Xiaoqiang & Zhang, Fusuo, 2024. "Improving smallholders' capacity building by creating an enabling environment for sustainable crop production," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 220(C).
    18. Ola Tveitereid Westengen & Kristine Skarbø & Teshome Hunduma Mulesa & Trygve Berg, 2018. "Access to genes: linkages between genebanks and farmers’ seed systems," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 10(1), pages 9-25, February.
    19. Schindler, Jana & Graef, Frieder & König, Hannes Jochen, 2016. "Participatory impact assessment: Bridging the gap between scientists' theory and farmers' practice," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 148(C), pages 38-43.
    20. Ensor, Jonathan & de Bruin, Annemarieke, 2022. "The role of learning in farmer-led innovation," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 197(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:ags:ccsesa:230378. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: AgEcon Search (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.ccsenet.org/sar .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.