IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v13y2021i4p1807-d495267.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Application of a Comprehensive Methodology for the Evaluation of Social Innovations in Rural Communities

Author

Listed:
  • Antonio Baselice

    (Department of Sciences of Agriculture, Food Natural Resources and Engineering, University of Foggia, 71122 Foggia, Italy)

  • Maurizio Prosperi

    (Department of Sciences of Agriculture, Food Natural Resources and Engineering, University of Foggia, 71122 Foggia, Italy)

  • Valentino Marini Govigli

    (European Forest Institute, Mediterranean Facility (EFIMED), St. Antoni M. Claret, 167, 08025 Barcelona, Spain)

  • Antonio Lopolito

    (Department of Economics, Management and Territory, University of Foggia, 71121 Foggia, Italy)

Abstract

Despite the growing interest in social innovation (SI) in agriculture, the literature lacks validated tools for evaluating such initiatives. This paper provides an empirical application of the evaluation approach developed within the H2020 SIMRA project to a pilot experience conducted in a rural area of Southern Italy. The value added by this case study is the application of the five types of criteria used by the OECD for the evaluation of development programs, which are commonly referred to as REEIS: relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact, and sustainability. This experiment demonstrates the adequacy of the evaluation framework in identifying strengths and weaknesses of the initiative, according to a multifaceted perspective. The overall evaluation proves that most indicators fall under the high (48%) and medium categories (36%), and only few indicators are low (16%). The usefulness of the evaluation results is manifold. First, this evaluation highlights relevant arguments to support the communication strategy addressed at civil society, therefore reinforcing the civic engagement of the initiative, which is the distinctive feature of SI. Second, it supports project managers in addressing interventions to face emerging weaknesses. Finally, the evaluation provides factual evidence to policy makers to perform cost-effective analysis of rural development policies.

Suggested Citation

  • Antonio Baselice & Maurizio Prosperi & Valentino Marini Govigli & Antonio Lopolito, 2021. "Application of a Comprehensive Methodology for the Evaluation of Social Innovations in Rural Communities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-15, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:4:p:1807-:d:495267
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/4/1807/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/4/1807/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Verena Gramm & Cristina Dalla Torre & Andrea Membretti, 2020. "Farms in Progress-Providing Childcare Services as a Means of Empowering Women Farmers in South Tyrol, Italy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-18, January.
    2. Bock, Bettina B., 2012. "Social innovation and sustainability; how to disentangle the buzzword and its application in the field of agriculture and rural development," Studies in Agricultural Economics, Research Institute for Agricultural Economics, vol. 114(2), pages 1-7, October.
    3. Bram Peters & Marion Herens & Jan Brouwers, 2018. "Capturing Social Innovations in Agricultural Transformation from the Field: Outcomes of a Write-Shop," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-13, December.
    4. Matson, James & Sullins, Martha & Cook, Chris, 2013. "The Role of Food Hubs in Local Food Marketing," Service Reports (SR) 280771, United States Department of Agriculture, Rural Development.
    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. Antonio Baselice & Maurizio Prosperi & Antonio Lopolito, 2021. "A Conceptual Framework for the Evaluation of Social Agriculture: An Application to a Project Aimed at the Employability of Young People NEET," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-19, August.
    2. Antonio Baselice & Mariarosaria Lombardi & Maurizio Prosperi & Antonio Stasi & Antonio Lopolito, 2021. "Key Drivers of the Engagement of Farmers in Social Innovation for Marginalised Rural Areas," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-18, July.
    3. Juan Antonio Parrilla-González & Diego Ortega-Alonso, 2021. "Social Innovation in Olive Oil Cooperatives: A Case Study in Southern Spain," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-13, April.

    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. Cristina Dalla Torre & Elisa Ravazzoli & Marijke Dijkshoorn-Dekker & Nico Polman & Mariana Melnykovych & Elena Pisani & Francesca Gori & Riccardo Da Re & Kamini Vicentini & Laura Secco, 2020. "The Role of Agency in the Emergence and Development of Social Innovations in Rural Areas. Analysis of Two Cases of Social Farming in Italy and The Netherlands," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-25, May.
    2. Elisa Ravazzoli & Cristina Dalla Torre & Riccardo Da Re & Valentino Marini Govigli & Laura Secco & Elena Górriz-Mifsud & Elena Pisani & Carla Barlagne & Antonio Baselice & Mohammed Bengoumi & Marijke , 2021. "Can Social Innovation Make a Change in European and Mediterranean Marginalized Areas? Social Innovation Impact Assessment in Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry, and Rural Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-27, February.
    3. Park, Timothy & Martinez, Steve & Ibrahim, Mohammed, . "Sales Performance of Local Food Marketers: Evaluation of Multivalued Treatment Effects," Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Western Agricultural Economics Association, vol. 49(3).
    4. Livia Marchetti & Valentina Cattivelli & Claudia Cocozza & Fabio Salbitano & Marco Marchetti, 2020. "Beyond Sustainability in Food Systems: Perspectives from Agroecology and Social Innovation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-24, September.
    5. Sriroop Chaudhuri & Mimi Roy & Louis M. McDonald & Yves Emendack, 2021. "Reflections on farmers’ social networks: a means for sustainable agricultural development?," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(3), pages 2973-3008, March.
    6. Székely, Vladimír, 2013. "Urban-rural relations as a source of transfer of knowledge: some examples from rural surrounding of Bratislava," Rural Areas and Development, European Rural Development Network (ERDN), vol. 10, pages 1-21.
    7. Marta Guth & Katarzyna Smędzik-Ambroży & Bazyli Czyżewski & Sebastian Stępień, 2020. "The Economic Sustainability of Farms under Common Agricultural Policy in the European Union Countries," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-20, January.
    8. Ivana Živojinović & Alice Ludvig & Karl Hogl, 2019. "Social Innovation to Sustain Rural Communities: Overcoming Institutional Challenges in Serbia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(24), pages 1-27, December.
    9. Coronese, Matteo & Occelli, Martina & Lamperti, Francesco & Roventini, Andrea, 2023. "AgriLOVE: Agriculture, land-use and technical change in an evolutionary, agent-based model," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 208(C).
    10. Tirziu, Andreea-Maria, 2017. "Promoting social innovation in rural areas through living labs," MPRA Paper 79870, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    11. Richter, Ralph & Christmann, Gabriela B., 2021. "On the role of key players in rural social innovation processes," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, issue (Articles.
    12. Weiss, Gerhard & Hansen, Eric & Ludvig, Alice & Nybakk, Erlend & Toppinen, Anne, 2021. "Innovation governance in the forest sector: Reviewing concepts, trends and gaps," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 130(C).
    13. Fazari, Erika & Musolino, Dario, 2022. "Social farming in high mountain regions: The case of the Aosta Valley in Italy," Economia agro-alimentare / Food Economy, Italian Society of Agri-food Economics/Società Italiana di Economia Agro-Alimentare (SIEA), vol. 24(3), December.
    14. Paul Swagemakers & Maria Dolores Dominguez Garcia & Johannes S. C. Wiskerke, 2018. "Socially-Inclusive Development and Value Creation: How a Composting Project in Galicia (Spain) ‘Hit the Rocks’," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-21, June.
    15. Nigel R Curry, 2021. "The rural social economy, community food hubs and the market," Local Economy, London South Bank University, vol. 36(7-8), pages 569-588, November.
    16. Valentina Cattivelli & Vincenzo Rusciano, 2020. "Social Innovation and Food Provisioning during Covid-19: The Case of Urban–Rural Initiatives in the Province of Naples," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-15, May.
    17. Baselice, Antonio & Prosperi, Maurizio & Stasi, Antonio & Lombardi, Mariarosaria & Lopolito, Antonio, 2018. "Influence of Socio-economic determinants on the active involvement of agents implementers of Social Innovation : the Case Study of VàZapp ' in Apulia region 2," 2018 Seventh AIEAA Conference, June 14-15, Conegliano, Italy 275659, Italian Association of Agricultural and Applied Economics (AIEAA).
    18. Simo Sarkki & Cristina Dalla Torre & Jasmiini Fransala & Ivana Živojinović & Alice Ludvig & Elena Górriz-Mifsud & Mariana Melnykovych & Patricia R. Sfeir & Labidi Arbia & Mohammed Bengoumi & Houda Cho, 2021. "Reconstructive Social Innovation Cycles in Women-Led Initiatives in Rural Areas," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-22, January.
    19. Brimlow, Jacob N. & Matson, James, 2015. "Buying Local? An exploratory analysis of barriers to local food sales from the perspective of intermediary buyers in California and North Carolina," 2015 AAEA & WAEA Joint Annual Meeting, July 26-28, San Francisco, California 205872, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    20. Ana-Maria OPRIA & Ema CORODESCU-ROȘCA & Lucian ROȘU, 2024. "Are LEADER principles achieved in Local Action Groups? A systematic assessment of local representatives' perception," Eastern Journal of European Studies, Centre for European Studies, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, vol. 15, pages 361-382, June.

    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:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:4:p:1807-:d:495267. 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: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    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.