General description
1. Innovation in agriculture and in rural areas
2. What do we mean by innovation ?
3. Objectives
4. How do we proceed ?
This project is funded by the 6th Framework Programme of the European Union under the priority 8.1 Policy-oriented research - Scientific support to policies- SSP. Contract number: 44510.
1. Innovation in agriculture and in rural areas The role of agriculture is no longer limited to food production. Agriculture and rural areas are more and more seen in terms of their multiple functions and new societal demands : the maintenance of attractive landscapes, green and blue services, contributions to more sustainable and climate-friendly energy supply systems, the substitution of fossil raw materials by renewable industrial crops and, more broadly, their contributions to a high quality of life in rural areas. Farmers and rural actors are adapting themselves to meet new conditions, but often, however, there is a gap between their needs and the capacities of support systems, specifically, advisory services with a mandate to facilitate innovations. These innovation processes have much potential to become more effective, and to bring about opportunities to tackle economical competitiveness as well as environmental challenges.
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2. What do we mean by innovation ?
Innovations can be defined as the successful exploitation of creative ideas, which can be products, services, processes, markets, institutions; these can be technological, social, and organisational. In the IN-SIGHT project, we consider innovation as the outcome of collaborative networks. We challenge the classical linear view of innovation processes.
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The IN-SIGHT project aims at building a conceptual framework and knowledge base for a more effective European policy on innovation in agriculture and rural areas. Both, conceptual framework and knowledge base, should be consistent with the new European agenda for agricultural and rural policy and sensitive to the diversity of the European agricultural and rural systems. The project addresses the question what kind of knowledge and innovation infrastructure is required to support the future needs of rural economies, including the natural resource based sectors. The situation and dynamics of innovations systems and processes in seven European countries will be studied and a representative set of in-depth studies carried out. Success factors in innovation systems and processes will be identified.
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The situation and dynamics of innovations systems and processes in seven European countries will be studied and a representative set of in-depth studies carried out. The project will use individual case examples in order to illustrate best practices. Recommendations for further research agenda as well as public policies at regional, national and European level will conclude the project. The results of the project will be formulated for three types of actors: policy makers, researchers and practitioners.
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