IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/hal/journl/hal-04803908.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Enhancing capacities for sustainability transition policy design: Lessons from French pesticide reduction plans

Author

Listed:
  • Viviane Trèves

    (SADAPT - Sciences pour l'Action et le Développement : Activités, Produits, Territoires - AgroParisTech - Université Paris-Saclay - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement)

  • Mourad Hannachi

    (SADAPT - Sciences pour l'Action et le Développement : Activités, Produits, Territoires - AgroParisTech - Université Paris-Saclay - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement)

  • Jean-Marc Meynard

    (SADAPT - Sciences pour l'Action et le Développement : Activités, Produits, Territoires - AgroParisTech - Université Paris-Saclay - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement)

Abstract

CONTEXT Reducing pesticide use has become an important policy objective in several countries, yet many have failed to reach their goals. Policies need to be more systemic to address lock-ins hindering pesticide reduction. To do so, policymakers must improve policymaking processes, while ensuring active stakeholder participation. This requires specific policy capacities, which have not yet been characterized. OBJECTIVE This article aims to identify policy capacities needed to improve the collective elaboration of pesticide reduction policies and integrate a systemic approach. METHODS We studied the collective elaboration of the French pesticide reduction plans. We built a narration of the policy process organized by policymakers, based on semi-structured interviews and an analysis of grey literature. We then reflected on which policy capacities policymakers needed to better manage the policy design process, using the "management situation" concept. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS Our results show that to better design pesticide reduction policies, policymakers lacked four types of interdependent "policy capacities": capacities to support collective sensemaking about lock-ins, to co-design interdependent and multi-level instruments, to co-design suitable implementation structures and to ensure learning. These results highlight an issue of dynamic capabilities in public organizations. SIGNIFICANCE Our results provide concrete proposals to improve design processes for pesticide reduction policies aiming at systemic transformations: there is a need to develop new methods, tools, analytical resources and training programs for policymakers, to support the development of the policy capacities identified. These results also suggest avenues for future action-research between public management, systemic agronomy, sustainability and design sciences.

Suggested Citation

  • Viviane Trèves & Mourad Hannachi & Jean-Marc Meynard, 2025. "Enhancing capacities for sustainability transition policy design: Lessons from French pesticide reduction plans," Post-Print hal-04803908, HAL.
  • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:hal-04803908
    DOI: 10.1016/j.agsy.2024.104175
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-04803908v1
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://hal.inrae.fr/hal-04803908v1/document
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.agsy.2024.104175?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jan Janosch Förster & Linda Downsborough & Lisa Biber-Freudenberger & Girma Kelboro Mensuro & Jan Börner, 2021. "Exploring criteria for transformative policy capacity in the context of South Africa’s biodiversity economy," Policy Sciences, Springer;Society of Policy Sciences, vol. 54(1), pages 209-237, March.
    2. Rogge, Karoline S. & Reichardt, Kristin, 2016. "Policy mixes for sustainability transitions: An extended concept and framework for analysis," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(8), pages 1620-1635.
    3. Kivimaa, Paula & Kern, Florian, 2016. "Creative destruction or mere niche support? Innovation policy mixes for sustainability transitions," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(1), pages 205-217.
    4. Albert Meijer, 2019. "Public Innovation Capacity: Developing and Testing a Self-Assessment Survey Instrument," International Journal of Public Administration, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 42(8), pages 617-627, June.
    5. repec:dau:papers:123456789/7415 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. Irene Pluchinotta & Akin O. Kazakçi & Raffaele Giordano & Alexis Tsoukiàs, 2019. "Design Theory for Generating Alternatives in Public Decision Making Processes," Group Decision and Negotiation, Springer, vol. 28(2), pages 341-375, April.
    7. David J. Teece & Gary Pisano & Amy Shuen, 1997. "Dynamic capabilities and strategic management," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 18(7), pages 509-533, August.
    8. Wilson, Clevo & Tisdell, Clem, 2001. "Why farmers continue to use pesticides despite environmental, health and sustainability costs," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 39(3), pages 449-462, December.
    9. Rainer Kattel & Mariana Mazzucato, 2018. "Mission-oriented innovation policy and dynamic capabilities in the public sector," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 27(5), pages 787-801.
    10. Karl E. Weick & Kathleen M. Sutcliffe & David Obstfeld, 2005. "Organizing and the Process of Sensemaking," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 16(4), pages 409-421, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Trèves, Viviane & Hannachi, Mourad & Meynard, Jean-Marc, 2025. "Enhancing capacities for sustainability transition policy design: Lessons from French pesticide reduction plans," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 223(C).
    2. Kergroach, Sandrine, 2019. "National innovation policies for technology upgrading through GVCs: A cross-country comparison," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 258-272.
    3. Sampsa Hyysalo & Jani Lukkarinen & Paula Kivimaa & Raimo Lovio & Armi Temmes & Mikael Hildén & Tatu Marttila & Karoliina Auvinen & Sofi Perikangas & Allu Pyhälammi & Janne Peljo & Kaisa Savolainen & L, 2019. "Developing Policy Pathways: Redesigning Transition Arenas for Mid-range Planning," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-22, January.
    4. Chunhong Sheng & Yun Cao & Bing Xue, 2018. "Residential Energy Sustainability in China and Germany: The Impact of National Energy Policy System," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-18, December.
    5. Bjerkan, Kristin Ystmark & Seter, Hanne, 2021. "Policy and politics in energy transitions. A case study on shore power in Oslo," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 153(C).
    6. Befort, N., 2020. "Going beyond definitions to understand tensions within the bioeconomy: The contribution of sociotechnical regimes to contested fields," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 153(C).
    7. Jan-Erik Vahlne & Jan Johanson, 2017. "From internationalization to evolution: The Uppsala model at 40 years," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 48(9), pages 1087-1102, December.
    8. Weigelt, Carmen & Lu, Shaohua & Verhaal, J. Cameron, 2021. "Blinded by the sun: The role of prosumers as niche actors in incumbent firms’ adoption of solar power during sustainability transitions," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(9).
    9. Lejla Terzić, 2023. "Why is the transition to a green economy important for achieving sustainability? A review of some theoretical approaches and empirical research presented in the literature," Economic Thought journal, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences - Economic Research Institute, issue 3, pages 307-332.
    10. Raven, Rob & Walrave, Bob, 2020. "Overcoming transformational failures through policy mixes in the dynamics of technological innovation systems," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 153(C).
    11. Trotter, Philipp A. & Brophy, Aoife, 2022. "Policy mixes for business model innovation: The case of off-grid energy for sustainable development in sub-Saharan Africa," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(6).
    12. Sohvi Heaton & David Teece & Eugene Agronin, 2023. "Dynamic capabilities and governance: An empirical investigation of financial performance of the higher education sector," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(2), pages 520-548, February.
    13. Borrás, Susana & Gerli, Francesco & Cenzato, Rebecca, 2024. "Technology transfer offices in the diffusion of transformative innovation: Rethinking roles, resources, and capabilities," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 200(C).
    14. Heiberg, Jonas & Truffer, Bernhard & Binz, Christian, 2022. "Assessing transitions through socio-technical configuration analysis – a methodological framework and a case study in the water sector," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(1).
    15. Grashof, Nils, 2020. "Putting the watering can away Towards a targeted (problem-oriented) cluster policy framework," Papers in Innovation Studies 2020/4, Lund University, CIRCLE - Centre for Innovation Research.
    16. Landoni, Matteo & ogilvie, dt, 2019. "Convergence of innovation policies in the European aerospace industry (1960–2000)," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 147(C), pages 174-184.
    17. Magro, Edurne & Wilson, James R., 2019. "Policy-mix evaluation: Governance challenges from new place-based innovation policies," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(10).
    18. Jackwerth, Thomas & Afghani, Nof & Daimer, Stephanie & Lindner, Ralf & Wittmann, Florian, 2023. "Public sector organisations as agents of transformations: A framework for analysing structural changes within Public Sector Organisations (PSO)," Discussion Papers "Innovation Systems and Policy Analysis" 80, Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research (ISI).
    19. Yoruk, Esin & Radosevic, Slavo & Fischer, Bruno, 2023. "Technological profiles, upgrading and the dynamics of growth: Country-level patterns and trajectories across distinct stages of development," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(8).
    20. Xieao Chen & Ping Huang & Zhenhong Xiao, 2022. "Uncovering the verticality and temporality of environmental policy mixes: The case of agricultural residue recycling in China," Review of Policy Research, Policy Studies Organization, vol. 39(5), pages 632-653, September.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Pesticide reduction; Lock-in; Policymaking process; Policy capacity; Management science; Sociotechnical transition;
    All these keywords.

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:hal:journl:hal-04803908. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: CCSD (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.