Practice Abstract - Research and innovation

How can stakeholder involvement be enhanced?

Multi-actor approach (MAA) is characteristic feature of thematic networks, it requires collaboration between different actors with complementary skills to co-create practice-based solution. For this reason, involvement of end-users (farmers, foresters, advisors and their communities) and active knowledge transfer in the team is crucial.



Experience shows that strict supporting schemes create a strong risk of “intervention without innovation” in the projects. Inflexible conditions reduce space for “creative failure” as expected results must be laid down in advance. In the recent system projects engage end-users who are usually chosen from outside of the consortium, based on presumed problems (not necessarily consistent with their identified problems), and different expectations cause poor engagement. Financial rules to involve end users as consortium member is risky due to sensible business goals, and limited resources, skills.



Enhanced stakeholder (especially end user) involvement is only possible with a more flexible support system in which:

• starting at the planning phase it is required to involve end user(s) together with innovation hubs (association, public body or research centre with possibility for couching)

• regular follow up is incorporated to ensure re-integration of experiences during the project;

• more SME-friendly financial rules allow slight changes in goals if needed.

Source Project
EURAKNOS
Ongoing | 2019-2021
Main funding source
Horizon 2020 (EU Research and Innovation Programme)
Geographical location
Belgium
Project details

Project Keywords