Impacts of science-based research and innovation program: The case of farmers’ transition to organic production in Camargue

Summary

This paper attempts to assess the impacts of science-based research and innovation program (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 ex-post reconstructing the impact pathway of the “basket of innovations” which was identified as the main innovation in the theory of change of the program. The analysis allows identification of the specific role of the research. We demonstrate that the French National Institute of Research Agriculture (INRA) contributed to change in supporting growers through experimental trials, discussions and leaflets even though the rice producers underlined that their trials played a more important role to find relevant techniques. Farmers also reported other driving factors like the selling price of organic rice or CAP subsidies for conversion and maintenance of land for organic rice. Finally, the analysis emphasises that the research system is not the central node in the innovation pathway, although it does play a substantial role.