Marianne CERF (INRA SADAPT) & Jean-Luc FORT (CRA PC) & R. AMBERT (CRA RA)

1. Funded by the European Union as part of the research programme "Improving human research potential and the socio-economic Knowledge base in the Fifth Framework Programme". Contract no. HPSE-CT-2002-60059. INRA ACTA A.P.C.A. Instituts techniques S.U.A.D A.N.D.A. Ministère de l ’agriculture Centres de gestion SARV Syndicats A. Agriculteurs Groupements (CETA, GVA) Coopératives et IAA Co-ordination of partners based on shared values Co-ordination of partners based on agreement CRISIS Expectation about functioning Knowing more on changes in extension skills and organization Developing procedures for collaborative work Figure 1. Situation for learning. Expectation about objectives realization A joint steering committee with representatives of INRA and of Chambres of Agri: how to develop a cycle for expansive learning (based on Engeström, 1999) Potential common working agenda Development of the learning process within the committee 1. Creating Events : opening spaces for the development of controversies and reflexivity between practitioners -to negotiate their vision about extension work & changes in agriculture - to engage in conservations about their respective practices - to design new collaborative work between managers -to negotiate about relevant stakes for developing partnership about extension work & changes in agriculture - to propose directions for collaborative work proposals Figure 2 2a.Identifying remaining controversies Stakes to be developed through collaborative work Directions for collaborative work proposals 2b. Developing & implementing working procedures to enhance inter-institutional partnership 3. Expanding knowledge about inter-institutional partnership within the organisations Transformations of the French Agricultural R&D System Reconsidering advisory activities and extension organizing Marianne CERF (INRA SADAPT) & Jean-Luc FORT (CRA PC) & R. AMBERT (CRA RA) With the partiicpationof all those who have been inovolved in the steering committee and the workshops • 1. Context. Agricultural R&D&E in France • a strong compromise between the agricultural industry and the state. • part of a system which aimed to modernize French agriculture and to increase its productivity while allowing farmers to reach a mean living stantard (alignment with other sector workers. 2. Issue. Chambres of Agriculture (100) reconsider their relations to stakeholders in rural areas and their role as support tocapacity building in agriculture 3. Arena for the Learning Project :A joint agreement INRA and APCA in order to share experiences & develop new co-operations about capacity building within agriculture (see figure 1) Issue raised within the APCA-INRA agreement for the LEARNing perspective.To engage in discussions about changes in advisory skills and work organisation and the way new partnerships between Chambres of Agriculture and INRA can be delevoped to foster these changes. Objective for theLEARNing project. To identify the relevance, the interest and the possibilities of issuing some research questions about the capacity building and extension work in industrialized agricultures. 4. Outcomes for theLEARNing project. Those involved in the joint committee got the opportunity to better identify bottlenecks for the development of cross-boundary learning and to start to sort out some common stakes and to reflect on procedures to enhance collaborative work. Practitioners met and start to identify discrepancies in their vision of their respective practices. But the process was stopped ought to outside events, nevertheless showing the instability of the learning process (see figure 2). • Farmers’ unions want to reduce R&D&E costs • the State wants to increase R&D&E efficiency • new advisory facilities are now offered by local authorities & firms. • 5. Towards a Research agenda : 4 research issues to be put on the agenda of LEARNing • Knowing more aboutthe way farmers combined advisory and other resources to manage and cope with change. • Developing methodsto enhance collective capacity and expertise among advisors supporting farmers’ projects • Knowing more about boundary crossing and inter-organizational processes at local level (political/ managerial/operational, agricultural institutions/local authorities, expertise/support, researching/advising) • Developing a framework to characterize the diversity of partnership settings promoting collaborative work between researchers and development workers. Contact : cerf@inapg.inra.fr