Enabling environments for rural innovations: lessons learned from Rural Development Programmes in Italy, 2007-2013

The European Innovation Partnership for Agricultural Productivity and Sustainability (EIP-Agri) aims to foster the competitiveness and sustainability of the agriculture and forestry sectors. In the 2014-2020 rural development programmes (RDPs), Operational Groups are multi-actor projects aimed at building bridges between different actors, in order to speed up the development of farmer-driven innovative projects. The Managing Authorities of the RDPs have a crucial role in setting the scene for enabling and promoting such innovation processes. The aim of this research is to explore the different policy frameworks adopted by the Italian regions to support cooperation for innovation projects in RDPs in the period 2007-2013. These were analysed against the conceptual background outlined by the European Commission and the international literature on the interactive approach to innovation processes (EC, 2013). The study is supported by the use of a mixed-methods approach, based on desk and on field research, qualitative and quantitative methods. The results of this research illustrate (a) the relevance of well-defined policy and programme setting to enable innovative environments; (b) differentiation of innovative processes according to local agricultural systems; (c) project-driven innovation approaches might not support the capacity development on innovation; (d) the importance of networking instruments – such as national networks – particularly in regionalised MSs; and (e) the importance of appropriate monitoring and evaluation tools and methods to follow innovations and their effects.