Agricultural research and responsible innovation: Institutional, scientific and methodological challenges and responses[Recherche agricole et innovation responsable : défis et réponses institutionnels, scientifiques et méthodologiques]

Changes in the societal perceptions and expectations against agricultural research, and the magnitude of the challenges facing the developing world are forcing research organizations, such as Cirad, to evolve. Such evolutions are of institutional, epistemic, axiological, scientific and operational nature. Key elements are considered: the diversity of societal actors and stakeholders, the double North/South accountability, and Cirad's deliverables. Cirad is setting up several founding factors for change: 1/ the challenges' staggering magnitude, which questions the capacity of research to respond promptly and properly, towards innovation processes, 2/ Cirad's mission on applied, society-relevant, solution-oriented research, 3/ its values, with 3 pillars for action: exemplarity, openness, commitment towards sustainable development. This last pillar is specifically presented as it is core to most activities at Cirad, and marked with radical evolutions, notably on public policy support, participatory research, contribution to societal impacts and their assessment.