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Designing trans-disciplinary research to support policy formulation for sustainable agricultural development

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  • Vandermeulen, V.
  • Van Huylenbroeck, G.

Abstract

The article shows how existing multidisciplinary studies on sustainable agricultural development can be joined into a trans-disciplinary approach. Three interdisciplinary projects have been combined in a participatory discussion platform, in which researchers from different disciplines (economists, ecologists, social scientist and geographers) were brought together with a variety of stakeholders. The specific application of the developed method on agricultural development in Belgium, has revealed the need for crossing system boundaries within research, articulation of definitions on sustainable development, development of a coherent sustainability labelling policy and increasing the access to nation wide data both for researchers and policy makers.

Suggested Citation

  • Vandermeulen, V. & Van Huylenbroeck, G., 2008. "Designing trans-disciplinary research to support policy formulation for sustainable agricultural development," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 67(3), pages 352-361, October.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolec:v:67:y:2008:i:3:p:352-361
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    Cited by:

    1. Paul Stock & Rob J.F. Burton, 2011. "Defining Terms for Integrated (Multi-Inter-Trans-Disciplinary) Sustainability Research," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 3(8), pages 1-24, July.
    2. Börner, Jan & Higgins, Steven I. & Scheiter, Simon & Kantelhardt, Jochen, 2013. "Approximating Optimal Numerical Solutions to Bio-economic Systems: How Useful is Simulation-optimization?," Quarterly Journal of International Agriculture, Humboldt-Universitaat zu Berlin, vol. 52(3), pages 1-20, August.
    3. Jana Zscheischler & Sebastian Rogga & Maria Busse, 2017. "The Adoption and Implementation of Transdisciplinary Research in the Field of Land-Use Science—A Comparative Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(11), pages 1-20, October.
    4. Jahn, Thomas & Bergmann, Matthias & Keil, Florian, 2012. "Transdisciplinarity: Between mainstreaming and marginalization," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 1-10.
    5. Vega-Gonz¨¢lez Luis Roberto, 2017. "Organizational Evolution and Disciplinary Transition: Case of a R&D Public Center in Mexico," Business and Economic Research, Macrothink Institute, vol. 7(2), pages 234-248, December.
    6. Börner, Jan & Higgins, Steven Ian & Scheiter, Simon & Kantelhardt, Jochen, 2009. "Approximating optimal numerical solutions to bio-economic systems: How useful is simulation-optimization?," 2009 Conference, August 16-22, 2009, Beijing, China 51407, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    7. Hubeau, Marianne & Marchand, Fleur & Coteur, Ine & Mondelaers, Koen & Debruyne, Lies & Van Huylenbroeck, Guido, 2017. "A new agri-food systems sustainability approach to identify shared transformation pathways towards sustainability," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 52-63.
    8. Louise O Fresco & Floor Geerling-Eiff & Anne-Charlotte Hoes & Lan van Wassenaer & Krijn J Poppe & Jack G A J van der Vorst, 2021. "Sustainable food systems: do agricultural economists have a role? [Interdisciplinary collaboration between natural and social sciences–status and trends exemplified in groundwater research]," European Review of Agricultural Economics, Oxford University Press and the European Agricultural and Applied Economics Publications Foundation, vol. 48(4), pages 694-718.

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