The Logic of Eip Agri
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March 2014 MSC THESIS THE LOGIC OF EIP AGRI Building Innovation Through Adaptive Governance | Koert Verkerk 1 2 MSc THESIS The Logic of EIP agri Building Innovation Through Adaptive Governance March 2014 C.J. (Koert) Verkerk, BSc Supervisor: Dr. G.E. (Gerard) Breeman, assistant professor Public Administration and Policy, Wageningen University Second reader: Prof. C.J.A.M. (Katrien) Termeer, professor Public Administration and Policy, Wageningen University 3 4 Abstract The European Innovation Partnership for agricultural productivity and sustainability aims to contrib- ute to the agricultural sector by supporting innovation. As new policy measure under the CAP provi- sions it aims to close the gap between farming practice and (applied) research. By doing so, the EIP agri can help actors to better fulfil the innovation process, from the phase of identifying a problem to the phase of dissemination of knowledge. Innovation processes are difficult processes to steer be- cause of the many actors involved and the many interests of those actors. The theory of adaptive governance can be used to understand complex processes such as innovation processes. The key characteristics of adaptive governance, being resilience, multi stakeholder involvement, multi-level governance and room for experimentation are appropriate elements to analyse innovation proc- esses. At first sight, the EIP agri seems to contain these notions of adaptive governance. However, by conducting an extensive participatory observation and an expert workshop, it became clear that still some problems need to be encountered. Possible solutions to these problems were discussed when the theory was applied to practice. In order to make the EIP a good functioning policy, it appears to be essential to better understand the behaviour of the actors involved. In innovation processes, ac- tors are not only driven by goal seeking behaviour but their behaviour should also be understood by a logic of adaptability. This logic takes into account the context in which (innovation) processes take place. By doing so it becomes better possible to explain and steer processes of innovation. 5 6 Preface & acknowledgements Innovation is a word used in many contexts although little understood. What is innovation? How can it contribute to society? In agriculture, innovation is considered of high importance by many people. However, when talking to farmers, the ones really performing agriculture, innovation was, and still is, often a vague concept. But this situation is changing. The agricultural sector is facing many chal- lenges, of which the largest is providing food for nine billion people in 2050. In accomplishing this, developments need to take place in production methods of this sector. This is when innovation comes in, introducing processes of development and change. New European agricultural policy tries to stimulate innovation. The European Innovation Partnership for agricultural productivity and sus- tainability (EIP agri) aims to close the gap between research and practice. By doing so the challenges faced by European agriculture should be tackled. This thesis aims to provide an insight in the opera- tions of the EIP agri in order to develop the concept further and such contribute to innovation in Europe’s agricultural sector. I have written this thesis as part of my masters’ education at Wageningen University. The EIP was and is a subject in which I operated for one and a half years. As a trainee at LTO Nederland I got the opportunity to contribute to the development of the EIP agri, both in Brussels and in the Nether- lands. I would therefore like to thank Luc Groot, Klaas Johan Osinga and Wijnie van Eck for providing me this opportunity, you have been great colleagues! During my work for LTO I met many interesting people, thanks to all of them I got the chance to develop my thinking about the EIP agri but also to develop myself. In particular I want to thank Inge van Oost, Annemiek Canjels, Jan van Esch and Henk Kieft. Not only did you cooperate with me during my work, you also participated, together with Klaas Johan Osinga, in the workshop I organised in order to collect data for this thesis. Writing a thesis has not always been an easy process for me, ‘practicing science’ is something of which I got the feeling sometimes that I would never learn. However with the constant support of Gerard Breeman I did manage to finalise this product! Even after three courses, an internship and two theses you managed to teach me new things, thanks a lot for that. I would also like to thank Katrien Termeer for being the second reader of this thesis and closely following the process. Jolien, you have been a great support by helping me finalising this thesis, your comments and work has been of great, great value. Many thanks to Siem Korver; he opened many doors for me during my study. Despite the difficult times momentarily I hope we can work together for still many years to come and you will again get to enjoy the good things in life very soon. Finalising this preface I still need to thank three people. My parents, for your support, in every way and by all means possible. And Debby, for your help with this thesis and everything, always. Koert Verkerk Rhenen - March, 2014 7 Content Abstract ..............................................................................................................................................5 Preface & acknowledgements .............................................................................................................7 1 Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 12 2 Research framework ................................................................................................................. 14 2.1 Structure ........................................................................................................................... 14 2.1.1 Desk study ................................................................................................................. 14 2.1.2 Empirical research ..................................................................................................... 15 2.2 Methodology ..................................................................................................................... 16 2.2.1 Ex-ante policy evaluation ........................................................................................... 16 2.2.2 EIP expert workshop .................................................................................................. 16 2.2.3 Participatory observation ........................................................................................... 17 2.2.4 Hermeneutics ............................................................................................................ 18 2.2.5 Analysis of the empirical data .................................................................................... 20 2.2.6 Dutch focus in European policy .................................................................................. 20 3 Desk study ................................................................................................................................ 21 3.1 Innovation ......................................................................................................................... 21 3.1.1 Types of innovation.................................................................................................... 21 3.1.2 Evolutionary Economics ............................................................................................. 22 3.1.3 Innovation Models ..................................................................................................... 23 3.1.4 Actors ........................................................................................................................ 26 3.1.5 Conclusion ................................................................................................................. 29 3.2 Innovation as adaptive process .......................................................................................... 30 3.2.1 Adaptability ............................................................................................................... 30 3.2.2 Governance ............................................................................................................... 30 3.2.3 Adaptive governance and innovation ......................................................................... 31 3.2.4 Conclusion ................................................................................................................. 33 3.3 The European Innovation Partnership for ‘Agricultural Productivity and Sustainability’ ...... 34 3.3.1 European context ...................................................................................................... 34 3.3.2 European Innovation Partnership ‘Agricultural Productivity and Sustainability’ .......... 35 3.4 EIP agri & adaptive governance ......................................................................................... 44 4 Empirical Research ................................................................................................................... 48 4.1 Participatory observation .................................................................................................. 48 4.1.1 Traineeship in Brussels ..............................................................................................