Impacts of science-based research and innovation programmes: The case of farmers' transition to organic rice in Camargue

Summary

This paper attempts to assess the Impacts of Science-based Research and Innovation Programme (ISRIP) of farmer’s transition to organic rice in Camargue. We applied a methods-mix revolving around the Impact Pathway Analysis (IPA) with the goal of shedding light on complex mechanisms that occur along innovation processes and reconstructing ex-post the impact pathway of the “basket of innovations” which was identified as main innovation in the theory of change of the programme. The analysis allows identifying the specific role of the research. We demonstrate that INRA contributed to change in supporting growers through experimental trials, discussions and leaflets even though individual farmer’s testing played a more important role to find relevant techniques, rice producers underlined. Farmers also reported external factors like selling price of organic rice or CAP subsidies to both convert and maintain surfaces under organic rice. Finally the analysis emphasises that the research system and impacts of the programme are not central in the whole theory of change although they do play a role.