Reports from AgriSpin
Report:
The Scientific Team of AgriSpin Has Delivered the Analytical Framework on Which the Cross Visits Are Based
The conceptual framework aims to facilitate the exchange of existing knowledge on innovative approaches in agriculture, agricultural supply chains and rural areas.
By summarizing and drawing conclusions from the reviewed literature, the scientific team of AgriSpin proposes operational definitions and an understanding of terms and concepts relevant for the AgriSPIN project.
Content of the report
The research teams’ reflections on what constitutes crucial words, concepts and topics for AgriSpin are organized into three sections. They highlight:
- a structural perspective on innovation components (chapter 3)
- a dynamic perspective on innovation components (chapter 4) and
- a selection of concepts related to innovation support services (chapter 5).
Read the report
Please download the report to check out the conceptual framework of AgriSpin.
The Scientific Team of AgriSpin Has Produced a Methodological Guide For Documenting and Selecting the Innovation Cases
The selection guide has been developed with the aim of documenting and selecting a wide diversity of innovation cases for the Cross Visits as they can be found in different European rural regions (including overseas), farming and agro-food systems.
Content of the report
The practice partners have documented 5-10 innovation cases of their choice. This documentation was guided by an innovation proto framework and an innovation portfolio scheme, both of which are reported on in this report. The purpose of the proto framework and the innovation portfolio scheme has been to systematically guide the case identification and documentation process.
A detailed outline of the complete versions are found in the Annex of the report.
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The Scientific Team of AgriSpin Has Compiled the AgriSpin Innovation Cases In a Synthesis Report
The “Synthesis report on selected and documented innovation cases for Cross Visits” compiles all 57 innovation cases visited at 12 the Cross Visits across Europe. Thus, the synthesis report serves as a catalogue of all the cases examined in the AgriSpin project. The cases were selected on the basis of the conceptual framework and the methodological guide.
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Please download the synthesis report to study the 57 European innovation cases in detail.
And read the news article about the synthesis report.
The Scientific Team of AgriSpin Has Completed the Typology of Innovation Support Services On the Basis of Which the Cases Covered by the AgriSpin Cross Visits Will Be Analysed
When using a typology of innovation support services, it is easier to answer questions such as: Which services are required? Which services are more useful? Which services are innovative? Who could be the provider? How should the service be provided? What are the roles of the ISS?
The report “Typology of innovation support services” serves as a framework to better characterize the existing types of Innovation Support Services (ISS). On the one hand, the typology aims at providing an idea of the diversity of services appropriate to support innovation, and on the other hand, it contributes to a better analysis of the diversity of services observed in the cases covered by AgriSpin Cross Visits.
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The final methodology for the AgriSpin Cross Visits has been completed
The final methodology for the AgriSpin Cross Visits is essentially a manual for the Cross Visit Method, i.e. a guideline for how to conduct a successful Cross Visit. A step-by-step manual is attached to the report.
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Please download the report to read about The Cross Visit Method – An Improved Methodologic Approach
The Reports On the Cross Visits Have Been Finalized
The report on the first seven Cross Visits contains general information regarding the Cross Visits, the case studies in a standardized overview as well as the characteristics of the cases.
Read the report on the first seven Cross Visits.
The second report presents the factual information on the complete series of Cross Visits. The report answers questions regarding the description of the innovation, the actors/roles within the innovation, the role of the support service, the factors of success and failure, regional particularities, specific recommendations, and lessons that can be generalized.
Read the second report on all the Cross Visits.
Recommendations After the Cross Visits
After the Cross Visits, the AgriSpin partners have been digesting what has been learned from the encounters and have used this harvest as a basis for a discussion about proposals for change with managers and other key actors in the Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System (AKIS).
The recommendations mark a moment in time on the AgriSpin partners’ ongoing journey. The case studies are still being analysed for a deeper understanding of what matters most in innovation processes and the interventions of support agents. The recommendations serve as one of the inputs for the partners’ ongoing dialogue.
Read the recommendations.
The Scientific Team Has Completed the Report Dealing With Cross Compared Research Insights On Innovation Support Practices
The report examines the similarities and differences between visited and studied innovation cases within the AgriSpin project. Secondly, it identifies and examines the relationship between innovation support services and a) phases of innovation, b) types of innovation, and c) services providers. Thirdly, it looks into the role of exceptional personality traits of innovators and support actors on the outcome of innovation processes. Finally, the report explores how support services are shaped by the enabling environment/landscape and funding mechanisms including regional AKIS of specific regions in which they are offered.
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AgriSpin: EIP-AGRI dissemination
The innovative knowledge and easily accessible end-user material from AgriSpin presented on this website is also broadly disseminated by the EIP-AGRI, which is a one-stop shop for agricultural innovation in Europe.
The common format used for this end-user material by EIP-AGRI contains the characteristics for each project as well as a short text for practitioners in the form of a practice abstract, which contains the main information, recommendation and practice that can serve the end-users in their daily practice.
This report is a compilation of the practice abstracts delivered to the EIP-AGRI website.
How to Create a Community Conducive to Innovation
A supportive environment does matter when it comes to stimulating innovation. This has been amply demonstrated by the findings of AgriSpin: Structural measures lower the threshold so that actors can do what is needed to support the innovation process.
Read the entire report from AgriSpin or get at quick overview by reading the article “How to Create a Community Conducive to Innovation“.
AgriSpin Would Like to Share Its Experiences
The AgriSpin consortium ends with the termination of the project and AgriSpin as such will not be a partner offering services to others. However, the partners are very much available for sharing their experiences with the Cross Visit methodology.
Read the report about what AgriSpin has to offer to external partners or read the articel “AgriSpin Would Like to Share Its Experiences“.
Funding Possibilities Exist Today Within the Rural Development Policy
The financial instruments of the European Rural Development policy can to a large extent be shaped in a way that is consistent with the seven phases of the AgriSpin innovation spiral. Thus, funding for innovation can be found in the current regulation.
Read the report on which funding possibilities exist today within the European Rural Development.
Learning Histories Are a Valuable Tool for Teaching About Innovation Support
Innovation processes do not fit into common project reports with objectives, deliverables and tick boxes for checking whether the project has produced what it promised to do. When you know the outcome beforehand, the results are not new.
As a consequence, innovation processes should be monitored and evaluated in a different way than production type projects. Reporting should feed the confidence of the enabling community that the resources are well spent, but also allow for describing the surprises, deviations and lessons learned. To that end, the learning history method is a useful tool as it excels in describing processes of change.
If selected AgriSpin narratives were to be upgraded to Learning Histories, they could be used for training as well as teaching purposes.
Please read the report on the Learning Histories of AgriSpin and the new project proposal by the AgriSpin partners.