• Egil Petter Stræte
  • Lee-Ann Sutherland
  • Anda Adamsone-Fiskovica
  • Boelie Elzen
  • Alexandros Koutsouris
  • Catherine Laurent
  • Pierre Labarthe
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Sammendrag

Forfattere: Lee-Ann Sutherland, Anda Adamsone-Fiskovica, Boelie Elzen, Alexandros Koutsouris, Catherine Laurent, Egil Petter Stræte og Pierre Labarthe

The establishment of effective national agricultural knowledge and innovation systems (AKIS) became a European policy imperative in the 2010s, lodged in a political ideology which emphasised the importance of innovation to economic growth. We argue that the recent deployment of the AKIS concept in EU policy presents important opportunities for the agricultural sector and associated academic research but has significant weaknesses in terms of the scale of analysis (over emphasis on national levels) and disconnection from academic thinking on innovation processes. In this paper we progress the AKIS approach by utilising assemblage theory. We argue that assemblage concepts – in line with other ‘more-than-human’ approaches - offer mechanisms for recognising and integrating the role of non-human actants in innovation processes. Inclusion of these actants highlight the co-constructed nature of farm knowledge and associated transition processes. Assemblage concepts of historicity and rupture demonstrate how the path dependencies of farming are embedded in the material conditions of production, and the learning processes which occur when path dependencies are interrupted. We illustrate these contentions with empirical case studies of the ‘microAKIS’ – self-assembled farmer knowledge networks and associated processes - characterising four innovations across Europe: the introduction of a new commodity (avocado) in Greece, mainstreaming of robotic milking in Norway, retro-innovation of direct marketing in Latvia, and outsourcing of (dehumanised) farm labour in France.
Journal of Rural Studies, Volume 97


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Forfattere: Egil Petter Stræte, Jostein Vik, Eirik Magnus Fuglestad, Mads Dahl Gjefsen, Anders M. Melås, Roger A. Søraa

The agricultural sector is undergoing several transitions through “smart-farming” technologies. To make this innovation responsible, it is critical to support technological innovation at different stages of innovation with customized strategies for the individual technology.

Agricultural Systems, Volume 203, December 2022 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2022.103526


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Sammendrag

Forfattere: Egil Petter Stræte, Bjørn Gunnar Hansen, Eystein Ystad og Gunn-Turid Kvam

Purpose To explore the structures and processes within agricultural advisory organisations that may enhance absorptive capacity (AC) and determine how organisations develop their AC.

Design/methodology/approach A qualitative explorative case study of advisory services in Norway, which are structured as farmer cooperatives. Interviews, document analysis, and internet information are applied.

Findings Strong social mechanisms are needed to realise the potential AC in an organisation. Advisory organisations with incorporated research and development (R&D) can translate findings from both their own research projects and external sources, which increases their absorptive capacity and boosts service innovation. Further, systematic emphasis on continuous learning strengthens AC, as do networking and internal communications.

Practical implications By improving the incorporation of R&D, continuous learning and networking, advisory service organisations can benefit from the Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System (AKIS). Ultimately farmers can receive more updated and relevant services for their farms.

Theoretical implications Incorporation of R&D, continuous learning and networking are significant social integration mechanisms that can improve a firm’s AC.

Originality/value Previous studies on AC have shown that it is important for innovation. This paper sheds additional light on how AC can be improved.

The Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension, DOI: 10.1080/1389224X.2022.2117214


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Forfatter: Egil Petter Stræte

Formålet med dette notatet er å danne et kunnskapsgrunnlag for å vurdere iverksetting av mer forsknings- og utviklingsarbeid som kan bidra til at særlig mindre lokale trebedrifter skal bli konkurransedyktige med produkter og tjenester inn til større byggeprosjekter og større kunder. Ambisjonene er at dette skal lede til å styrke bruken av tre, styrke sirkulær økonomi og gi mer lokal verdiskaping.


  • Egil Petter Stræte
  • Jorieke Potters
  • Kevin Collins
  • Herman Schoorlemmer
  • Emils Kilis
  • Andy Lane
  • Heloise Leloup
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Sammendrag

Forfattere: Jorieke Potters, Kevin Collins, Herman Schoorlemmer, Egil Petter Stræte, Emils Kilis, Andy Lane og Heloise Leloup
Climate and ecosystem changes, economic and policy imperatives, food system pressures, and multiple societal expectations pose complex challenges for sustainable farming. A key problem is determining an effective and efficient approach to enable innovation in complex, multi-stakeholder settings. One approach currently receiving much policy attention and investment in the EU is ‘Living Labs’ which bring together public and private stakeholders to co-create, validate, and test new services, business ideas, markets and technologies. However, the analysis, monitoring and evaluation of Living Labs and their effectiveness and policy value in different contexts is limited. The AgriLink Living Labs were undertaken between 2018 and 2021 in Italy, Latvia, The Netherlands, Norway, Romania and Spain to co-create innovation support for improving agricultural sustainability. Our evaluation suggests that four inter-related critical conditions are needed for the success of Living Labs. These relate to the complexity of the challenge, the enabling environment, the proficient facilitation and the energy to move. These conditions influence the functioning of the Living Lab and we discuss the implications for policymakers and practitioners for the deployment of Living Labs in agricultural settings.


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Forfattere: Alexander Zahl-Thanem og Egil Petter Stræte

Denne rapporten er skrevet på oppdrag for Møre og Romsdal fylkeskommune, og baserer seg på data fra spørreundersøkelsen «Trender i norsk landbruk» og et ekstrautvalg bestående av rundt 600 bønder fra Møre og Romsdal som deltok i undersøkelsen våren 2022. Rapporten inkluderer også data fra samme spørreundersøkelse gjennomført i Møre og Romsdal i 2018, samt nasjonale tall. Rapporten konsentrerer seg om følgende overordnede tema: Bonden og gårdsbruket, økonomi og investeringer, rekruttering og framtidsutsikter, tilleggsnæringer, klimaendringer og klimagassreduserende tiltak, samt bondens helse og sosiale liv.


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Forfattere: Anders Mahlum Melås, Marit Aursand, Ida Grong Aursand, Bjørn Eidem, Silje Forbord, Gunn-Turid Kvam, Roald Sand, Inger Beate Standal, Grete Stokstad, Egil Petter Stræte og Margareth Øverland

Denne rapporten oppsummerer status for en rekke fôrråvarer og diskuterer ulike aspekter av bærekraft relatert til fôr og fôrsystem. Prosjektet har vært et samarbeid mellom forskere fra Ruralis – institutt for rural- og regionalforskning, SINTEF Ocean, NIBIO, NMBU Biovit og TFoU (nå SINTEF Digital). Arbeidet er finansiert av Forskningsmidlene for jordbruk og matindustri og egeninnsats fra brukerpartnere i prosjektet.


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Forfattere: Gunn-Turid Kvam, Renate M.B. Hårstad og Egil Petter Stræte
Purpose
To explore the role of farmers’ Micro Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System (microAKIS) for different adopter categories and stages of uptake of digital technologies, by studying single farmers’ assemblages and sources of knowledge.
Methodology
The Triggering Change Model (TCM) was used to explore the role of microAKIS at different stages of innovation uptake. Two case studies were carried out of a radical digital technology, Automatic Milking Systems (AMS), and an incremental digital technology, electronic bells (e-bells).
Findings
In the AMS case, the farmer-based organizations that traditionally advise farmers were not visible for pioneers and early adopters at any stages of the TCM, but they were able to develop support in cooperation with technology suppliers for later adopters. For e-bells, farmers’ microAKIS was broad in the awareness stage but narrowed in the later stages and consisted then of mainly peer – for farmers with less digital competence.
Practical Implications
For radical digital technology, the farmer-based organizations should take an active role in all stages of technology uptake for all farmer categories. For incremental digital technologies, there is a need for farmer-based organizations to support farmers with weaker digital skills. To improve advice, farmers-based organizations should cooperate with technology suppliers.
Theoretical Implications
The study provides new insight into farmers’ microAKIS at different stages of farmers’ uptake of a radical and an incremental digital technology and in the transformation of AKIS.
Originality
This paper combines the microAKIS methodology with the TCM and farmer adopter categories for both a radical and an incremental digital technology.
The Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension, https://doi.org/10.1080/1389224X.2022.2046617


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Denne rapporten er et resultat fra prosjektet Smart teknologi for et bærekraftig landbruk (SmaT). Prosjektet startet opp i 2018 og avsluttes ved utgangen av 2021. Målet for SmaT-prosjektet er å bidra til teknologisk utvikling og innovasjon for økt bærekraftig produksjon i norsk landbruk. Prosjektet er et samarbeid mellom Felleskjøpet Agri, Norsk landbrukssamvirke og Mære landbruksskole og forskere fra Ruralis og NTNU. I tillegg har teknologi-interesserte bønder og andre fagfolk vært involvert gjennom fagdager og fokusgrupper.


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Forfattere: Egil Petter Stræte, Gunn-Turid Kvam og Astrid Johansen

Variert vekstskifte er kjent innen agronomien som et effektivt jordforbedrings- og planteverntiltak med positiv effekt på både avlingsmengde og kvalitet, og dermed også på det økonomiske resultatet for bonden. I dette notatet har vi en praktisk tilnærming til samarbeid om vekstskifte mellom bønder, og vi retter søkelyset på hvilke forutsetninger et slikt samarbeid bør bygge på og på vilkår som bør være til stede for å lykkes. Vi ser også på mulige tiltak som kan bidra til å styrke samarbeidet, enten samarbeidet gjelder allsidige vekstskifter (korn, gras, potet og/eller grønnsaker), eller det gjelder samarbeid om enklere vekstskifter mellom for eksempel korn og gras, eller bare mellom ulike kornarter. I notatet foreslår vi flere tiltak for støtte opp om et vekstskiftesamarbeid, og mulige framgangsmåter i arbeidet. Vi har også et forslag til ei interessekartlegging blant mulige deltakere i et samarbeid, samt ei skisse til avtale om samarbeid. Målgruppe for notatet er primært rådgivere, bønder og andre som er interessert i vekstskiftesamarbeid på tvers av jordbrukseiendommer.


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It is well documented that farming is a high-risk industry in terms of fatalities and injuries, and with numerous risk factors associated with operating the farm. It has also proved difficult to find evidence for the effectiveness of interventions. Moreover, farming is in transition, with ongoing technological transformations as well as becoming increasingly more globalized. Thus, new perspectives that allow for more systemic understandings in the management and promotion of occupational health and safety (OHS) are needed. Our main objective is to present an integrated theoretical understanding of the farm as an enterprise and an integrated element in the political-economic agricultural system. The main question is how can farmers organize and manage the farm, in order to simultaneously improve efficiency, quality and OHS based on systemic models for OHS and a systemic understanding of the political-economical system of Norwegian agriculture? The framework is adapted to the Norwegian agricultural context, with ongoing transformations both technologically and organizationally, including visions and plans set by Norwegian agriculture itself. However, the framework can be applied irrespective of national context. lack N.L., Neumann W.P., Noy I. (eds) Proceedings of the 21st Congress of the International Ergonomics Association (IEA 2021). IEA 2021. Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems, vol 221. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-74608-7_26


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In this paper a methodology for a balanced readiness assessment of novel agricultural technologies is developed and presented. The methodology expand on the well-known Technology Readiness Level (TRL) assessments, with a method for assessing TRL as well as Market Readiness Level (MRL), Regulatory Readiness Level (RRL), Acceptance Readiness Level (ARL), and Organizational Readiness Level (ORL) in concert. In the article the Balanced Readiness Level assessment (BRLa) methodology is employed and illustrated on 1) a set of 36 novel agricultural technologies, and 2) on the development of a technology for virtual agricultural fences. The empirical applications in this article indicates that the BRLa- methodology may serve as a fruitful approach for a compound assessment of emerging technologies. The methdodology is relevant for actors involved in advisory services, funding, investment and technology development. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2021.120854


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Innovation and implementation of new technology in farming is considered important to meet challenges for agriculture to increase sustainability and improve efficiency in production. Less emphasise has been on how the farmers experience the new technology. This paper responds to this gap and explores how Automatic Milking Systems (AMS) influence farmers’ job satisfaction. The research questions are: Are there differences in the experienced level of job satisfaction between AMS farmers and farmers applying Conventional Milking Systems (CMS)? Which factors determine the level of job satisfaction in dairy farming? Do these factors vary on AMS farms compared to CMS farms? The empirical data is based on a survey to a sample of dairy farmers with AMS and CMS. The results show that the most important factors which influence job satisfaction positively are common for AMS and CMS; Increased income, new cowshed, there is a successor present, farmer wants to continue farming. Contrary, higher education and being a male reduces job satisfaction. Further, the results show that AMS farmers are more satisfied with their working day, their occupational safety and their working environment. Other factors which influence job satisfaction for dairy farmers are; Less paper work, working together, considering technological competence less important, being appreciated, considering economic competence less important, increasing milk quota, loneliness and health worries. However, these factors can to a varying degree be explained from an AMS/CMS perspective, even though they differ between the two technologies. NJAS - Wageningen Journal of Life Sciences, Volume 92,100328


Rapport
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Ressursheftet retter seg inn mot personer eller organisasjoner som ønsker å øke sin kunnskap om spredt arealgrunnlag i landbruket, effekter av dette og mulig omorganisering av arealer. Ut fra dette er målgruppen for heftet rådgivere i landbruket, landbruksmyndig-heter på ulike nivå, organisasjoner, samt bønder, eiere og andre berørte. Ressursheftet beskriver bl.a. hvordan bønder og eiere opplever problemet, hvordan en kan få oversikt over arealfordelingen i et område, effekter for økonomi, miljø og aktører (bønder, eiere m.m.), metoder for å sette temaet på dagsorden lokalt og lovgivning som virker inn.


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Denne rapporten bidrar med kunnskap om bønders og jordeieres erfaringer med leiejord og deres opplevelse av leiejordsituasjonen. Dette inngår i prosjektet LANDFRAG der formålet er å bidra til mer hensiktsmessig arrondert og lokalisert jordbruksareal for å få til en effektiv og bærekraftig produksjon av mat og fôr. Rapporten er basert på intervjuer av bønder og jordeiere, samt erfaringer fra prosjektet LANDFRAG. I rapporten anbefales følgende tiltak: Informasjonskampanje for leiejordskontrakter, interessekartlegging i forbindelse med inngåelse av kontrakter, bedre leiekontrakter, bruk av jordmegler og etablering av åpne jordleieregistre.


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Many countries have included agriculture as one of the sectors where they intend to obtain significant greenhouse gas emission reductions. In Norway, the dairy-beef sector, in particular, has been targeted for considerable emission cuts. Despite publicly expressed interest within the agricultural sector for reducing emissions, significant measures have yet to be implemented. In this paper, we draw on qualitative data from Norway when examining the extent the wider agri-food network around farmers promotes or restrains the transition toward low-emission agricultural production. A qualitative analysis based on interviews with key stakeholders from various parts of the agri-food network of dairy-beef indicates that, if it is up to the dairy-beef system itself, it will develop in the direction of continued increased production volumes and increased efficiency in production, combined with moderate measures to reduce emissions. There is an obvious reluctance to stimulate the consumer demand toward other products or meat products with reduced emissions because such a solution would complicate full exploitation of existing agricultural resources and hence could bring considerable negative economic consequences. Another factor limiting the scope and drive towards a low-carbon production is that the effects of various potential climate measures do not appear as unambiguous. Our study indicates that the dairy-beef sector will likely not reach the goal of reduced emissions from its own initiatives. Rather, significant changes would probably require both push and pull support from forces outside the agricultural system. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10460-020-10134-5


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Klimaendringer, befolkningsvekst og behovet for økt matproduksjon skaper utfordringer for landbruket. En del av løsningen for landbruket er å forbedre praksis ved hjelp av miljøvennlig innovasjon. Teknologiutviklingen i landbruket skjer fort og har økende oppmerksomhet på presisjonsdyrking, digitalisering og automatisering for et mer bærekraftig landbruk. Det er et behov for å forstå hvordan utviklingen skjer, hvor langt vi er kommet, og hvordan vi skal møte teknologiutviklingen og legge til rette for den. Dette notatet beskriver innovasjonsprosesser og begreper knyttet til modenhetsmåling. Det har blitt gjennomført en kartlegging av 36 ulike teknologier og forskningsprogram rettet mot et bærekraftig norsk landbruk. Vi har utviklet et verktøy for å vurdere ny teknologi innenfor aspektene teknologisk, markedsmessig og samfunnsmessig modenhet. Gjennomgangen av teknologiene og litteratur på modenhetsvurdering av ny teknologi har resultert i modenhetstabeller og tilhørende spørsmålsbatteri som beskriver ni trinn med økende grad av modenhet.


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Agriculture is a hazardous industry, with a high frequency of injuries. As working life has changed over the last decades, so has also agriculture. In Norway, farm size has increased, and agriculture has become technology intensive with a high amount of automated milking systems (AMS) and is now more dependent on hired help. The aim of the study is by sociotechnical system theory to explore how a new generation of farmers describe their work organisation in relation to occupational health and safety. The study is an explorative interview study at five farms having implemented AMS. An open interview guide was used. The interviews were recorded and thereafter transcribed. Analyses were based on the balance-theory with the domains technology, organisation, physical environment, task design, and individual characteristics. The results show that AMS changes the farm as a sociotechnical work system. AMS is considered a relief with regards how tasks become less physically demanding, less time consuming, and with less animal contact. On the other hand, cognitive demands increase. The results indicate that the technology increases both complexity and vulnerability, these factors being less considered by the farmers. The findings underline the importance of farmers’ increasing awareness of their role as a manager and for an increased system perspective. Proceedings of the 20th Congress of the International Ergonomics Association (IEA 2018). IEA 2018. Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, vol 825.