Fostering stakeholder engagement and participation in Living Labs (Deliverable 6.4)

In the context of facilitating a transition towards more sustainable food systems, where agrobiodiversity is supported, living labs (LLs) play a key role in bringing together the various actors involved in value chains that valorize agrobiodiversity. Yet, while the objective is clear, actually setting up vibrant and active LLs is not an easy feat, as keeping stakeholders engaged over time is an effort that cannot be overlooked. In DIVINFOOD, LLs used a series of engagement activities and a mix of communication tools to foster engagement and participation. First and foremost, engagement activities that work are those that are closely tied with project commitments (for instance, participatory ecosystems assessments, recipe development, and field trials). Secondly, the LLs organized large events open to a wide audience, such as festivals or contests, where the showcasing of the project’s work through public display such as cooking demos and tastings strengthens stakeholder motivations and commitment. Lastly there are field visits and/or thematic workshops or training courses. There are various elements in these activities that help keep engagement of stakeholders high, such as the knowledge that stakeholders acquire and the ties they consolidate, and in some cases build, when there are newcomers. LLs can use a mix of communication tools to foster communication. The preferred methods, if possible, are face-to-face meetings, but when stakeholders belonging to an LL are more spread out geographically, virtual tools are more useful. Instant messaging service or video conference platforms are useful tools to use as they are well known to most and easy to use.