Table 5 Major challenges and possible solutions in TN’s implementation phase
From: The multi-actor approach in thematic networks for agriculture and forestry innovation
Challenges | Proposed solutions |
|---|---|
Alignment of different actors towards the same goal | Take partners profiles (background and expertise) into account |
Keep the focus on the specific TN challenges by having regular meetings and updates | |
Communicate transparently between consortium partners | |
Uptake of TN results into practice | Involve a facilitator, create a space of trust where actors can co-exist |
Adopt a clear language easily understandable for users, avoid buzz words | |
Distribute videos and podcasts through social media to give visibility to TN stories and best practices | |
Translate dissemination materials in as many languages as possible | |
Participation of farmers, foresters and advisors | Use awards (e.g. Newbie gives yearly awards for farmers) |
Provide the possibility reallocate budget to compensate the time of farmers/foresters and (private) advisors (subcontracting) | |
Contact farmers/foresters directly | |
Involve representative organizations or existing networks of farmers/foresters and OGs (e.g. EuroDairy experienced a good connection with farmers due to the involvement of 42 OGs) | |
Engage members in the Advisory Board who can facilitate contacts with farmers/foresters | |
Use of expertise from actors outside the EU | Engage international partners in the consortium and/or invite international experts to participatory workshops (e.g. FERTINNOWA and Sheepnet involved actors outside the EU in transnational workshops) |
Improvement of the interaction between actors | Organise discussion groups or events where scientists and farmers can meet (e.g. OK net Ecofeed organised “Science Bazaars”) |
Involve small peer groups and incentivise activities that stimulate peer-to-peer learning among farmers/foresters and advisors | |
Involvement of experienced facilitators | Provide training for improving the facilitator’s softs skills |
Involve facilitators from the conceptualisation phase | |
Integration of TN results into practice | Create an open-access digital platform that houses the TNs outputs organised in a common easy language with defined concepts. The TNs INCREDIBLE, SKIN, and 4D4F created an interactive knowledge platform |