D5.3 - Social innovation solutions at local level

The goal of CARINA Task 5.3 is to ‘Co-define challenges and co-define social innovation solutions’. As a first step, relevant information was collected from stakeholders on the introduction of the new crops Brassica carinata and Camelina sativa and related cropping systems in different regions across European (Italy, Spain, France, Serbia, Poland) and North African countries (Tunisia, Morocco). The information was coded into PESTEL and SWOT categories to develop strategies for social innovation solutions and to support sustainable deployment and sustained uptake of the new crops. Initially, relevant stakeholder groups were predefined. Subsequently, project partners collaborated by filling out stakeholder fact sheets (Figure 1), which outline the role and motivation of stakeholders in potential value chains in their respective countries. From these fact sheets stakeholders were identified and gathered in a comprehensive stakeholder list. Selected stakeholders were then interviewed based on a questionnaire provided by DBFZ (Figure 2). The compiled results of the survey shed light on a spectrum of quite diverse expectations affecting benefits and challenges/barriers to the introduction of Carinata and Camelina. It often highlighted also the lack of knowledge by stakeholders of the two crops, which can lead to incorrect and incomplete understandings that should be addressed and mitigated. Furthermore, the analysis showed that economic conditions and end-consumer perspectives can considerably vary by region. Therefore, potential value chains and products must be adapted to regional, social, economic, and environmental conditions and must enable sustainable market transfer and increase social acceptance. The implementation of social innovation solutions alongside the new CARINA crops can enhance its market transferability and acceptance. Among the potential models, cooperatives seem to be the most suitable social innovation to transfer benefits across a wider community of farmers and associated stakeholders. Cooperatives could assist in the dissemination of best practices in crop management, like training for the correct cropping system application, processing, and product marketing for many farmers. This approach can generate positive impacts for agricultural stakeholder, and the surrounding economy and population.