ATIO seminar series: Evolving Agrifood Innovation Systems

FAO's Office of Innovation is pleased to invite you to the second session in our Agrifood Systems Technologies and Innovations Outlook (ATIO) Seminar Series with guest speaker, Prof Laurens Klerkx.

Overview of the Talk
Agrifood Innovation Systems (AIS) are evolving, both as an analytical and policy concept, and as an operational tool for fostering the creation and scaling of agrifood innovations. Since its introduction in the mid-2000s, as a further elaboration of earlier systemic approaches to agrifood innovation, the AIS concept has gained significant popularity, becoming mainstream in science, policy and practice. However, despite extensive attention and numerous publications by multilateral organizations such as FAO, World Bank, and OECD up to the mid-2010s, documenting the evolution of AIS thinking and practice, the focus on AIS has declined in recent years. At the same time, the AIS approach has faced critique, and the agrifood sector has undergone substantial changes, that call for an updated perspective. This talk explores the state of the art of AIS thinking, policy and practice, and, more importantly, how the AIS concept is, or should be, evolving in response to recent developments, emerging challenges and trends.

Introducing Our Speaker
Laurens is Full Professor of Agrifood Innovation and Transition at the Department of Agricultural Economics at the University of Talca, Chile and Visiting Professor at the Knowledge, Technology and Innovation Group of Wageningen University, The Netherlands.  Laurens is an expert in the field of (agricultural) innovation studies, doing social science research and teaching and supervision (at Bachelor, Master and PhD level) on various topics related to agrifood innovation systems (AIS) dynamics, institutional change, innovation policy and co-innovation approaches, among others. Laurens' research spans many countries, such as The Netherlands, England, New Zealand, Vietnam, Tanzania, Kenya, Ghana, Chile and Mexico. Throughout his career, Laurens has (co-)authored and published more than 180 articles in international peer reviewed journals. His work informs policy makers, through contributions to policy and practice-oriented publications and direct engagement through invited presentations with organizations like the World Bank, the European Commission, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), and the United Nations Commission for Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and FAO.

We hope to see many of you there in what promises to be an enlightening and engaging discussion. Be part of the conversation that shapes the future of agrifood systems!

Zoom registration here

What is ATIO? Agrifood systems stakeholders across the globe face information gaps that limit their ability to make evidence-informed decisions on the development and use of science, technologies and innovations (STIs) for the sustainable transformation of agrifood systems. The ATIO initiative, led by FAO's Office of Innovation, addresses this by providing access to relevant data, evidence and critical reflections on agrifood STIs through two main outlets: a biennial report offering a snapshot of current patterns and foresight, and an open-access knowledge base offering user-friendly data, information, and analysis for a wide range of stakeholders. The ATIO Seminar Series features speakers engaged in the ATIO initiative, showcasing emerging topics from the forthcoming ATIO report, which will be launched in 2025.