CASE STUDIES: Public Agricultural Research in an Era of Transformation: The Challenge of Agri-Food System Innovation

Hall, A. and Dijkman, J. 2019. Public Agricultural Research in an Era of Transformation: The Challenge of Agri-Food System Innovation. Rome and Canberra: CGIAR Independent Science and Partnership Council (ISPC) Secretariat and Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), IX + 67 pp.

The ISPC of the CGIAR and CSIRO of Australia have published a study titled "Public Agricultural Research in an Era of Transformation: The Challenge of Agri-Food system Innovation". 

The study explores the way the sustainable development agenda reframes innovation concepts, practices and policies and the implications of this for the CGIAR and other public agricultural research organisations. 

The study is accompanied by a volume of case studies of transformation in the agri-food sector.

System innovation is apparent in a number of perspectives that have been developed to help understand how path dependencies and system changes can be managed in the energy, transport and manufacturing sectors. These include the following:

1. Sustainability transitions. 
2. Strategic niche management. 
3. Multi-level perspective (MLP). 
4. Transition management (TM).

Case studies:

• Marine Stewardship Council (MSC): Improving the sustainability of capture fisheries through sustainability certification, Chili
• The transition of the Chilean salmon industry to sustainable and socially inclusive practices 
• Sundrop Farms: Sustainability pioneers in the Australian food system 
• Australian cotton: Industry-led national and global innovation alliances for sustainability 
• Water Use Efficiency (WUE), Queensland: New alignments of stakeholder agendas under crisis conditions, Australia 
• Thai poultry exports: Subsector transformation through industry reinvention 
• Mass marketing treadle pumps in Bangladesh: An appropriate technology pathway to transformation