Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
interface are dealt with in The Netherlands, which makes them more interested in
seeking further policy and research support from The Netherlands. Certain specialized
forms of agricultural production proved to be sustainable in areas undergoing rapid
urbanization. Urban planners are quite willing to provide space for such forms of
production, while those in the Ministry of Agriculture seem to underestimate the
capacity of these often very competitive producers.
3) Partnerships and development efforts in the South
Good partnerships with (research) institutions in the South, and in this case Asia, are
crucial to the success of an international research project. Establishing and developing
networks with partners in these regions are important to Wageningen UR, in order to
strengthen its international scientific position and obtaining funds, others than those
from LNV. In the same way, the research institutions in these regions benefit from
the collaboration with Wageningen UR and other European institutes, for instance
from training and capacity building activities in the joint research projects.
4) Interactions between research and decision makers, both in The Netherlands and
the South
Active participation of decision makers, through steering committees, stakeholders'
platforms, and seminars and workshops is crucial for building the stepping stones
for turning research results into actions. In general, however, policymakers are not
interested in research approaches and methods as such, but mainly in the results,
while on the other hand, researchers are not always familiar with decision-making
processes. So it may be difficult for them to decide when and how to involve decision
makers in a research process. For that reason, the interactions between researchers
and decision makers should be well targeted and professionally organized in order to
prevent that the decision makers are loosing their interest in the project.
5) Which insights were gained by employing a multi-disciplinary methodology that
would have been missed by disciplinary research?
Without the different disciplines involved in the project, it should not have been
possible to explore different options for agriculture in the dynamic peri-urban areas.
(See Lessons learned ad. 1).
G) Unfinished business and future challenges
1) Which important things remain to be done that could not be achieved by the
project?
The project has raised awareness of the possibilities for integrating sustainable
horticulture and new urban functions in the peri-urban areas. In follow-up projects,
these options could be further explored with the involved stakeholders, from farmers
to investors and decision makers at local and regional level.
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