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Innovation-Sustainability Nexus in Agriculture Transition: Case Of Open Agriculture. 2019; 4: 1–16 Review Article Hamid El Bilali* Innovation-Sustainability Nexus in Agriculture Transition: Case of Agroecology https://doi.org/10.1515/opag-2019-0001 received July 11, 2018; accepted December 10, 2018 1 Introduction Abstract: Different governments and international Innovation has been defined in many different ways organizations have shown interest in agroecology (Menrad and Feigl 2007; OECD and Eurostat 2005; SCAR-EU as a promising pathway for transition to sustainable 2012; STEPS Centre 2010; Sterrenberg et al. 2013) and may agriculture. However, the kinds of innovation needed mean different things (Schumpeter 1934; Shaver 2016). for agro-ecological transition are subject to intense According to Stummer et al. (2010), innovations can be debate. The scale of this debate is itself an indicator categorized according to innovation type (product, service, of the complicated relation between innovation and process, market), dimension (objective or subjective), sustainability in the agro-food arena and beyond. This scope of change (radical, incremental, reapplied), review paper analyses the potential of agro-ecology in or how innovation was created (closed or open). The agricultural sustainability transitions. It also explores OECD and Eurostat (2005) distinguish product, process, whether agro-ecological transition is a sustainable marketing and organisational innovations. Innovation innovation (cf. ecological, green, open, social, as a concept is strongly linked to that of knowledge, responsible). Furthermore, the paper investigates the which is fundamental in the move towards sustainable potential contribution of agro-ecological transition to practices (Grin et al. 2010) and plays an important role sustainability, using the 3-D (Direction, Distribution and in transition to sustainable food systems (Loconto 2016). Diversity) model of the STEPS centre. Agroecology is one However, knowledge (as well as innovation) needed to of the few approaches that can harmoniously combine make the transition into agricultural sustainability is innovation and sustainability in agriculture while often contested and inconclusive (Atie et al. 2008; Levin et promoting genuine transition to agro-food sustainability al. 2012; Peters and Pierre 2014). since it embraces all dimensions of sustainability The modern theory of innovation provides a number (environmental, economic, social/cultural/ethical). of concepts and insights similar to that of transition Nevertheless, it can be taken for granted neither that all (Lachman 2013; Twomey and Gaziulusoy 2014; Tyfield traditional practices can be classified as ‘agro-ecological’ 2011). The common term ‘transition’ is often used nor that all farmer-led innovations can be included in the interchangeably with the term ‘systems innovation’. agro-ecological repertoire. Moreover, the relationship Loorbach and Rotmans (2010) define transition as “a between the three aspirations of agroecology (science, fundamental change in structure (e.g. organizations, movement and practice) needs further elaboration in institutions), culture (e.g. norms, behavior) and practices order to maximise potential for agriculture transition. (e.g. routines, skills)”. Embracing the goal of transition towards sustainable systems, the notion of ‘sustainability Keywords: agroecology; agro-ecological transition; transition’ was coined (Falcone 2014; Geels 2011; Kemp and sustainability transitions; sustainable innovation; van Lente 2011; Lachman 2013; Sustainability Transitions sustainability-oriented innovation. Research Network 2010). Markard et al. (2012:956) define sustainability transitions as “long-term, multi-dimensional and fundamental transformation processes through which established socio-technical systems shift to more sustainable modes of production and consumption”. *Corresponding author: Hamid El Bilali, Centre for Development Sustainability transitions are needed also in the agro- Research, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), food arena to move towards sustainable food systems Peter Jordan Straße 76, 1190 Vienna, Austria, (e.g. HLPE 2014; El Bilali et al. 2018; El Bilali 2018b). IPES- E-mail: [email protected] Food (2015) pointed out that a multi-directional flow of Open Access. © 2019 Hamid El Bilali, published by De Gruyter. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Public License. 2 H. El Bilali knowledge between the worlds of science, policy and Duru et al. 2014; FAO 2018; Gazzano and Gómez Perazzoli practice is needed to foster a genuine transformation of 2017; Huang and McCullough 2013; Isgren and Ness 2017; food systems, which is necessary in making the transition Meek 2016; Miles et al. 2017; Ollivier et al. 2018; Wezel et towards sustainability. Transition will most likely not al. 2016). In fact, agroecology is gaining ground, both in depend on one or even a small number of technological developed and developing countries, within the debate on innovations, but is likely to arise from a constellation of how to address the systemic problems faced by agriculture mutually interacting systems of innovations (Twomey (Gazzano and Gómez Perazzoli 2017; Isgren and Ness 2017). and Gaziulusoy 2014). This is particularly true in the The transformative potential of agroecology is nowadays case of food systems where social innovations also seem widely recognised not only by many agroecology scholars important. According to Hinrichs (2014), social and and organic agriculture movements [e.g. International organizational innovations are as central to sustainability Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) transitions in food systems as any particular innovative – Organics International] (Hilbeck and Oehen 2015), but technology. In fact, transition to sustainable agro-food also by a number of international organisations [e.g. systems requires complex and holistic changes in which United Nations Conference on Trade and Development social innovation plays as big a role as technological (UNCTAD), World Bank, FAO (FAO 2015; IAASTD 2009; innovation (IPES-Food 2015). FAO 2018d)], and expert panels such as IPES-Food (IPES- Innovation has become a key issue in the discussion Food 2016). about the relation between agriculture and sustainability This review paper aims to cast light on innovation- (e.g. EIP-AGRI 2013; FAO 2013 2012; Global Harvest sustainability nexus in agro-ecological transition. Section Initiative 2016; IPES-Food 2015). It is widely admitted 2 analyses the potential of agro-ecological transformation that the transition to agricultural sustainability requires in agriculture sustainability transitions. Section 3 explores ‘sustainable innovation’ (e.g. El Bilali 2018a). Different whether agro-ecological transition is a sustainable models of sustainability-oriented innovation have been innovation (cf. ecological, open, social, responsible, promoted. The Network for Business Sustainability (2012) green); while section 4 investigates the contribution of identified multiple definitions relating to Sustainability- agro-ecological transition to sustainable development Oriented Innovation (SOI): eco-innovation, ecological against the 3-D dimensions (Direction, Distribution and innovation, environmental innovation, frugal innovation, Diversity) suggested by the STEPS centre. green innovation, inclusive innovation and social innovation. In fact, there is a growing emphasis on ‘responsible’ (European Commission 2013), ‘sustainable’ 2 Agro-ecological transition (Charter and Clark 2007; Chonkova 2015), ‘social’ (Caulier- Agroecology (Altieri 1980; Dalgaard et al. 2003; Gliessman Grice et al. 2012; European Commission 2017; Mulgan et 1998; Gliessman 2015; Wezel and Soldat 2009), is an al. 2007; Nicholls and Murdock 2012; Osburg 2013), ‘open’ approach that dates back to the beginning of the 20th (Chesbrough 2003; Christensen et al. 2005) and ‘ecological’ century (e.g. Friederichs 1930; Hanson 1939; Harper (Carrillo-Hermosilla et al. 2010; Charter and Clark 2007; 1974). It links together science, practice and movements Fussler and James, 1996; Kemp and Foxon 2007; Kemp focused on social change (Wezel et al. 2011) through and Pearson 2008; Reid and Miedzinski 2008) innovation the integration of participatory, transdisciplinary and as a way of combining harmoniously innovation and change-oriented research and action (Ernesto Méndez sustainability. Sustainable innovation means paying et al. 2013; Gliessman 2016). Dalgaard et al. (2003) attention to ecological integrity along with the diversity consider agroecology as the study of interactions between of social values; encouraging plural innovation pathways; living organisms (plants, animals), humans and the promoting fairer und wider distribution of the benefits environment within agricultural ecosystems. Meynard of innovation; and fostering inclusive and participatory (2017) points out that agro-ecology is far from a simple governance of innovation processes (STEPS Centre 2010). merger between agronomy and ecology; it is an innovative There are different pathways leading towards and multidisciplinary (natural, economic and social transition to sustainable agriculture and food systems. sciences) project that connects politics and action. Simply In fact, there are several contending paradigms and put, agroecology is an approach that utilizes ecological narratives about sustainable agriculture and ways to principles to design and manage productive, resilient and achieve it (e.g. Elzen et al. 2017;
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