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The Defining Characteristics of Agroecosystem Living Labs

Author

Listed:
  • Chris McPhee

    (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa Research and Development Centre, 960 Carling Avenue, Ottawa, ON K1A 0C6, Canada)

  • Margaret Bancerz

    (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, National Headquarters Complex for the Agriculture Portfolio (NHCAP), 1305 Baseline Road, Ottawa, ON K1A 0C5, Canada)

  • Muriel Mambrini-Doudet

    (INRAE, 147 rue de l’Université, CEDEX 07, 75338 Paris, France)

  • François Chrétien

    (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Québec Research and Development Centre, 2560 Hochelaga Boulevard, Québec City, QC G1V 2J3, Canada)

  • Christian Huyghe

    (INRAE, 147 rue de l’Université, CEDEX 07, 75338 Paris, France)

  • Javier Gracia-Garza

    (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, National Headquarters Complex for the Agriculture Portfolio (NHCAP), 1305 Baseline Road, Ottawa, ON K1A 0C5, Canada)

Abstract

In response to environmental, economic, and social challenges, the living labs approach to innovation is receiving increasing attention within the agricultural sector. In this paper, we propose a set of defining characteristics for an emerging type of living lab intended to increase the sustainability and resilience of agriculture and agri-food systems: the “agroecosystem living lab”. Drawing on first-hand knowledge of case studies of large initiatives from Canada and France and supported by eight other cases from the literature, we highlight the unique nature of agroecosystem living labs and their distinct challenges with respect to their aims, activities, participants, and context. In particular, these living labs are characterized by exceptionally high levels of scientific research; long innovation cycles with high uncertainty due to external factors; and the high number and diversity of stakeholders involved. Both procedurally and conceptually, we link to earlier efforts undertaken by researchers seeking to identify urban living labs and rural living labs as distinct, new types of living labs. By highlighting what makes agroecosystem living labs unique and their commonalities with other types of living labs, we hope to encourage their further study and help practitioners better understand their implementation and operational challenges and opportunities.

Suggested Citation

  • Chris McPhee & Margaret Bancerz & Muriel Mambrini-Doudet & François Chrétien & Christian Huyghe & Javier Gracia-Garza, 2021. "The Defining Characteristics of Agroecosystem Living Labs," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-25, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:4:p:1718-:d:494034
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Irene Bouwma & Seerp Wigboldus & Jorieke Potters & Trond Selnes & Sabine van Rooij & Judith Westerink, 2022. "Sustainability Transitions and the Contribution of Living Labs: A Framework to Assess Collective Capabilities and Contextual Performance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-19, November.
    2. Angarita, Erika & Nürnberger, Fabian & Dauber, Jens & Sanders, Jürn, 2021. "ATP-AgriLandLab: a tool for Analysis of Transformation Processes within Landscape Labs," 61st Annual Conference, Berlin, Germany, September 22-24, 2021 317088, German Association of Agricultural Economists (GEWISOLA).
    3. Eleni Zafeiriou & Christos Karelakis & Inmaculada Martínez-Zarzoso & Konstantinos Galanopoulos & Dimitra Gkika, 2023. "Economic Development and Pesticide Use in EU Agriculture: A Nonlinear Panel Data Autoregressive Distributed Lag Approach," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-22, August.
    4. Hvitsand, Christine & Raanaas, Ruth Kjærsti & Gjøtterud, Sigrid & Nicolaysen, Anna Marie, 2022. "Establishing an Agri-food living lab for sustainability transitions: Methodological insight from a case of strengthening the niche of organic vegetables in the Vestfold region in Norway," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 199(C).
    5. Soini, Katriina & Anderson, Carl Cyrus & Polderman, Annemarie & Teresa, Carlone & Sisay, Debele & Kumar, Prashant & Mannocchi, Matteo & Mickovski, Slobodan & Panga, Depy & Pilla, Francesco & Preuschma, 2023. "Context matters: Co-creating nature-based solutions in rural living labs," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
    6. Jorieke Potters & Kevin Collins & Herman Schoorlemmer & Egil Petter Stræte & Emils Kilis & Andy Lane & Heloise Leloup, 2022. "Living Labs as an Approach to Strengthen Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems," EuroChoices, The Agricultural Economics Society, vol. 21(1), pages 23-29, April.
    7. Ashton, Lisa, 2022. "A framework for promoting natural climate solutions in the agriculture sector," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 122(C).
    8. Alexia Stokes & Géraldine Bocquého & Pascal Carrère & Raphaël Conde Salazar & Marc Deconchat & Léo Garcia & Antoine Gardarin & Christian Gary & Cédric Gaucherel & Mamadou Gueye & Mickael Hedde & Franç, 2023. "Services provided by multifunctional agroecosystems : Questions, obstacles and solutions," Post-Print hal-04056486, HAL.
    9. Toffolini, Quentin & Hannachi, Mourad & Capitaine, Mathieu & Cerf, Marianne, 2023. "Ideal-types of experimentation practices in agricultural Living Labs: Various appropriations of an open innovation model," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 208(C).
    10. Grahmann, Kathrin & Reckling, Moritz & Hernández-Ochoa, Ixchel & Donat, Marco & Bellingrath-Kimura, Sonoko & Ewert, Frank, 2024. "Co-designing a landscape experiment to investigate diversified cropping systems," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 217(C).
    11. Dimitri Schuurman & Seppo Leminen, 2021. "Living Labs Past Achievements, Current Developments, and Future Trajectories," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-6, September.

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