Levidow, Les; Birch, Kean and Papaioannou, Theo
(2012).
EU agri-innovation policy: two contending visions of the bio-economy.
Critical Policy Studies, 6(1),
pp. 40–65.
(
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Abstract
The knowledge-based bio-economy has gained prominence as a research and innovation policy of the European Union. As a policy framework the knowledge-based bio-economy has attracted two contending visions, which can be analyzed as imaginaries – strategic discourses prefiguring a possible, desirable future. In the dominant vision, life sciences will enhance productivity for European competitive advantage in global value chains. A rival vision links agroecology and shorter food supply chains, as a means for farmers to gain more from the value that they add. Each vision favors a different diagnosis of unsustainable agriculture and eco-efficient remedies. Each extends a different paradigm of agri-innovation, foreseeing an economic community that can gain from future markets. These two contending visions give different meanings to the same key terms – knowledge, biological resources and economy. In the EU’s research program for a knowledge-based bio-economy, a life sciences vision dominates the priorities, though agroecology has also gained a significant place in response to proposals from stakeholder networks. Through these efforts, research policy priorities have been opened up to more plural agri-innovation pathways.
| Item Type: |
Journal Article
|
| Copyright Holders: |
Institute of Local Government Studies, University of Birmingham |
| ISSN: |
1946-018X |
| Funders: |
European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme under grant agreement no. 217647, entitled ‘Co-operative Research on Environmental Problems in Europe’ (CREPE) |
| Keywords: |
imaginaries; agri-innovation policy; cultural political economy; critical
discourse analysis; sustainable agriculture; eco-efficiency; life sciences; agroecology;
knowledge-based bio-economy (KBBE); European Technology Platforms (ETPs); Framework Programme 7 |
| Academic Unit/Department: |
Mathematics, Computing and Technology > Design, Development, Environment and Materials |
| Interdisciplinary Research Centre: |
OpenSpace Research Centre (OSRC) |
| Related URLs: |
|
| Item ID: |
33466 |
| Depositing User: |
Les Levidow
|
| Date Deposited: |
18 Apr 2012 12:44 |
| Last Modified: |
04 Dec 2012 09:57 |
| URI: |
http://oro.open.ac.uk/id/eprint/33466 |
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