Competencies for Agricultural Advisors in Innovation Support

Charlotte Lybaert, Lies Debruyne, Eva Kyndt and Fleur Marchand
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Charlotte Lybaert: Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO), 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
Lies Debruyne: Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO), 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
Eva Kyndt: Department for Training and Education Sciences, University of Antwerp, 2000 Antwerpen, Belgium
Fleur Marchand: Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO), 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 14, issue 1, 1-16

Abstract: The expectation that agricultural advisors will facilitate Interactive Innovation is accompanied by novel expectations for their competency profile. In addition to their traditional technical basis, advisors are now expected to organise multi-actor processes, facilitate learning, mediate conflict, etc. Innovation support services are inherently diverse. To date, no precise list of competencies required by agricultural advisors to support Interactive Innovation has been defined. To form the basis for a competency profile, we examine the competencies currently being expected from an agricultural advisor. This suggested profile, developed in the context of the H2020 i2connect project, is based on a literature review, semi-structured interviews with co-creation experts, and an online validation workshop. We explore five themes: (a) basic disposition and attitude, (b) content competence, (c) methodological competence, (d) organisational competence, and (e) reflection, learning, and personal development. In practice, the profile can be used as either a tool for setting up co-creation processes or as the foundation for the development of new training materials. We conclude with a recommendation to create teams of advisors rather than relying on individuals, as a team is more likely to comprise the diversity of required competencies.

Keywords: competencies; agricultural advisory services; multi-actor approach; co-creation; interactive innovation; innovation support (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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