Socio-technical innovation in agri-food systemsA research agenda

The co-production and practical application of new ideas by researchers and social actors, coordinated through institutions in safe places where these ideas can be tested and refined (‘niches’), which when widely adopted (often in response to some sort of new problem), have the capacity to disrupt stable societal structures and norms (the ‘socio-technical regime’), so that society can transition to a new way of doing things (e.g. from fossil fuel to renewable energy systems).

What is socio-technical innovation?

The theory and practice of socio-technical innovation as a co-productive process with social actors for social good

My emphasis

More simply: how can researchers work with stakeholders to come up with new ideas that can solve shared problems for a more sustainable world?

Do we need new and better ideas?

Or do we need new and better ways of coming up with ideas?

Enhance the resilience of agri-food systems and multi-functional rural environments in a rapidly changing world

My Vision

My Vision Change the way researchers around the world

(co-)generate and apply knowledge to generate impacts in agri-food systems, and every other area of academic endeavor

Excellence with a purpose In a word: empathy In a picture…

My Approach

How can we develop a more holistic approach to sustainable food production that more effectively considers: 1. The resilience of natural capital

(including soil health) & ecosystem services (including cultural) in response to the interactive effects of multiple drivers of change?

Research questionsfile:///.file/id=6571367.5599785

2. How we value agri-food systems, including the full range of values that are shared by different groups in society (using monetary, non-monetary & deliberative techniques), to prioritise options for policy & practice

Research questions

3. How do governance mechanisms, including institutions, influence the way social actors interact with each other and agri-food systems, to boost production whilst minimising environmental impacts?

Research questions

4. How can we more effectively co-produce innovations between researchers and actors within the agri-food system, so we can devise new policy instruments and other governance mechanisms that can drive sustainability?

Research questions

5. What factors influence the adoption of innovations in agri-food systems, and how do the dynamics of trust (across space, time, social groups and culture) explain how innovations are adopted through social learning?

Research questions

Institute for Sustainability

SAgE Faculty

AFRD School

CRE

My research

Funded: EU Horizon 2020. Soil Care for profitable and sustainable crop production in Europe (€403,000 WP leader in €5M project)

Interdisciplinary funding plan (2016/17)

Under review: ESRC. Pathways to policy impact: learning from submissions to the UK Research Excellence Framework (PI with Universities of Dundee and St Andrews, £770,000)

Interdisciplinary funding plan (2016/17)

Planned with Leeds: Horizon 2020. Understand barriers and opportunities for the adoption of schemes that spatially target private and public funding for the delivery of ecosystem services at landscape scales (€5M)

Interdisciplinary funding plan (2016/17)

Planned with Leeds: tender for work under EU LIFE peatland bid (€0.5-1M)

Building interdisciplinary teams for funded projects with Newcastle and N8 collaborators

Newcastle and N8 writing collaborations

Capacity building and mentoring for interdisciplinary excellence with purpose

Building a socio-technical innovation research team

Socio-technical innovation narrative including 4* papers and impact case studies as part of an even higher performing UOA16 submission

Building a socio-technical innovation research team

Conclusion

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