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Reflections on dealing with “ wicked”problems when developing sustainable land use .

Reflections on dealing with “ wicked”problems when developing sustainable land use . Johan Bouma Em.professor of soil science Wageningen University The Netherlands Chair advisory cie TRANSFORUM project.

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Reflections on dealing with “ wicked”problems when developing sustainable land use .

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  1. Reflections on dealingwith “wicked”problemswhendevelopingsustainable land use. Johan Bouma Em.professor of soilscience Wageningen University The Netherlands Chair advisory cie TRANSFORUM project.

  2. Frustratedby the apparent inability of the research community tocontributetosustainabledevelopment of society, ( the “Knowledge Paradox”) the Dutch Government in 2004 allocated 800 million euro’s in innovative bottom-up research on a number of themes, includingagriculture. The latter TRANSFORUM program ( 60 million euro’s) initiated projects based on questionsfrom the field. Here we will share somelessonslearned.

  3. Whenstrivingforsustainableagriculture and land-use, “wicked” problems have tobeovercome. Suchproblems are complex and messy. There are no cleardefinitions nor simple solutions. Various stakeholders have different frames of reference, ideas, values and interests: E = entrepreneurs ( e.g. farmers, bankersetc) G = government officials ( national, local) N = NGO’s ( non governmentalorganizations and citizengroups).

  4. The key question for stakeholders is: “What’s in itfor me?” Also: don’tnecessarilybelievewhatthey say or write but: “ Find out whattheyreallythink”( most effective over a drink)

  5. Research ( K) cannot take its traditional approach: define a problem, do research, solve the problem, move on and pass implementation on toothers. But iftoomany research reports wind up on a dustyshelve ( the “Knowledge Paradox”) , the research community faces a problemwith society where the information revolutioncreates a different type of stakeholder. “Research as a hobby” Sowhatto do? Be more involved but guardscientificquality!

  6. Onekeylesson of Transforum: don’tconsidercitiesseperatefromruralareas. Their interests coincide, we talk thereforeabout: MetropolitanAgriculture (different from Urban Agriculture)

  7. THREE LESSONS FROM TRANSFORUM • Find out what K, E,N, and G partners really want. What are theirvalues and goals? Striveforconnectedvaluedevelopment. • Be patient: take time forc.v.proposition, tobefollowedbyc.v.creation(business plan) andc.v.capture. Onlycapturewillconvince! • Find out who is most interested and persistant in obtainingresults. Find:”champions”. Alsofind a committedknowledge broker whocanfacilitateprocesses and keep thingsmovingalong. Most likely member of K or E. Extension 2.0! Note: of the 30 practical projects, only 12 had “capture”.

  8. Sustainable land use in a 50000ha national landscape (NorthernFrisianWoodlands), withconflictingagricultural, ecological, societal and legal interests. Entrepreneurs ( 800 farmers) were most persistant.

  9. New Mixed Farm: C2C approach, integratingcattle, pig and chicken farms and greenhouses. Economic, societal and legalproblems. Entrepreneurs were most persistant.

  10. Green Farms: work on the farm to cure (psychiatric and drug) patients. Helps solve major societalproblem, but medicalquestionsremain. Major impulseforinnovativemedical research! Now 800 farms. Entrepreneurs were most persistant, later also the medical community.

  11. Tacitknowledge ( K1-2 ) is very important next toscientificknowledge (K3-K5). Close the knowledge chain and useitbothways!!

  12. THREE LESSONS FROM TRANSFORUM • Find out what K, E,N, and G partners really want. What are theirvalues and goals? Striveforconnectedvaluedevelopmentand define a common goal. • Be patient: take time forc.v.proposition, tobefollowedbyc.v.creation(business plan)andc.v.capture. Onlycapturewillconvince! • Find out who is most interested and persistant in obtainingresults. Youneed:”Champions”. Alsofind a committedknowledge broker whocanfacilitateprocesses and keep thingsmovingalong. Most likely member of K or E. Extension 2.0!

  13. Two relevant publications • Bouma, J. 2010. Implications of the knowledge paradox for soil science. Advances in Agronomy 106: 143- 171 . Academic Press, USA. • Bouma, J., A.C.van Altvorst, R.Eweg, P.J.A.M.Smeets and H.C.vanLatesteijn. 2011. The role of knowledge when studying innovation and the associated wicked sustainability problems in agriculture. Advances in Agronomy 113:285-314. Academic Press, USA.

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