Use of reflexive interactive design to address challenges to New Zealand dairy farming
Álvaro J. Romera A C , Mark Neal A and Bram Bos BA DairyNZ Ltd, Private Bag 3221, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand.
B Wageningen Livestock Research, Wageningen UR, The Netherlands.
C Corresponding author. Email: alvaro.romera@dairynz.co.nz
Animal Production Science 60(1) 121-126 https://doi.org/10.1071/AN18597
Submitted: 20 September 2018 Accepted: 18 January 2019 Published: 29 November 2019
Abstract
The New Zealand dairy industry will undergo significant changes over the next decades, so as to meet sustainability challenges (environmentally, economically, socially and ethically). The objective of the current study was to tackle these challenges by attempting a radical re-design of the dairy system. The study took a structured approach called reflexive interactive design. The intention was to address complex trade-offs between competing goals, deliberately targeting structural system changes in the systems. Through a series of interviews and design workshops, two concepts were drafted. These concepts are intended to be used as vehicles to construct shared meanings, in conversation with farmers, policy makers, scientists, the public, and other influential actors. Two findings relevant for consideration in redesigning dairy systems were as follows: first, the sustainability issues the industry is facing are interconnected, so solutions to one issue have implications for the others; second, the boundaries of the system to be designed may need to go beyond the farm gate, to include other parts of the value chain, groups of farms and possibly interconnected land uses.
Additional keywords: structured design, system boundaries, system innovation.
References
Altieri MA (2018) ‘Agroecology: the science of sustainable agriculture.’ (CRC Press: Boca Raton, FL)Bai X (2018) Advance the ecosystem approach in cities. Nature 559, 7
| Advance the ecosystem approach in cities.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 29973735PubMed |
Bai X, Surveyer A, Elmqvist T, Gatzweiler FW, Güneralp B, Parnell S, Prieur-Richard A-H, Shrivastava P, Siri JG, Stafford-Smith M (2016) Defining and advancing a systems approach for sustainable cities. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability 23, 69–78.
| Defining and advancing a systems approach for sustainable cities.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Berthet ET, Bretagnolle V, Lavorel S, Sabatier R, Tichit M, Segrestin B (2019) Applying ecological knowledge to the innovative design of sustainable agroecosystems. Journal of Applied Ecology 56, 46–51.
Bos AP, Spoelstra SF, Groot Koerkamp PWG, de Greef KH, van Eijk ONM (2012) Reflexive design for sustainable animal husbandry: mediating between Niche and regime. In ‘Food practices in transition: changing food consumption, retail and production in the age of reflexive modernity’. (Eds G Spaargaren, P Oosterveer, A Loeber) (Routlegde: London) pp. 249–276.
Catton WR, Dunlap RE (1978) Environmental sociology: a new paradigm. The American Sociologist 13, 41–49.
Chertow MR (2000) Industrial symbiosis: literature and taxonomy. Annual Review of Energy and the Environment 25, 313–337.
| Industrial symbiosis: literature and taxonomy.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Elzen B, Bos AP (2019) The RIO approach: design and anchoring of sustainable animal husbandry systems. Technological Forecasting and Social Change 145, 141–152.
| The RIO approach: design and anchoring of sustainable animal husbandry systems.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
FAO (2006) ‘Livestock’s long shadow.’ (Food and Agriculture Organization: Rome)
Forrester JW (1961) ‘Industrial dynamics.’ (MIT: Cambridge, MA)
Gluckman P, Cooper B, Howard-Williams C, Larned S, Quinn J, Bardsley A, Hughey K, Wratt D (2017) New Zealand’s fresh waters: values, state, trends and human impacts. Report for Office of the Priminster’s Chief Science advisor. Office of the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor, Wellington, New Zealand.
Jay M (2007) The political economy of a productivist agriculture: New Zealand dairy discourses. Food Policy 32, 266–279.
Karlsson JO, Carlsson G, Lindberg M, Sjunnestrand T, Röös E (2018) Designing a future food vision for the Nordics through a participatory modeling approach. Agronomy for Sustainable Development 38, 59
| Designing a future food vision for the Nordics through a participatory modeling approach.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Klerkx L, van Bommel S, Bos AP, Holster H, Zwartkruis JV, Aarts N (2012) Design process outputs as boundary objects in agricultural innovation projects: functions and limitations. Agricultural Systems 113, 39–49.
| Design process outputs as boundary objects in agricultural innovation projects: functions and limitations.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Kulak M, Nemecek T, Frossard E, Gaillard G (2016) Eco-efficiency improvement by using integrative design and life cycle assessment. The case study of alternative bread supply chains in France. Journal of Cleaner Production 112, 2452–2461.
| Eco-efficiency improvement by using integrative design and life cycle assessment. The case study of alternative bread supply chains in France.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Larned S, Snelder T, Unwin M, McBride G (2016) Water quality in New Zealand rivers: current state and trends. New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 50, 389–417.
| Water quality in New Zealand rivers: current state and trends.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Moraine M, Duru M, Therond O (2017) A social-ecological framework for analyzing and designing integrated crop–livestock systems from farm to territory levels. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems 32, 43–56.
| A social-ecological framework for analyzing and designing integrated crop–livestock systems from farm to territory levels.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Pigford A-AE, Hickey GM, Klerkx L (2018) Beyond agricultural innovation systems? Exploring an agricultural innovation ecosystems approach for niche design and development in sustainability transitions. Agricultural Systems 164, 116–121.
| Beyond agricultural innovation systems? Exploring an agricultural innovation ecosystems approach for niche design and development in sustainability transitions.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Romera AJ, Neal M, Bos AP (2018) Re-designing New Zealand dairy systems: public preferences. In ‘41° Congreso de la Asociacion Argentina de Producción Animal – Revista Argentina de Producción Animal’, 16–19 October 2018, Mar del Plata, Argentina. Vol. 38.
Schot J, Geels FW (2008) Strategic niche management and sustainable innovation journeys: theory, findings, research agenda, and policy. Technology Analysis and Strategic Management 20, 537–554.
| Strategic niche management and sustainable innovation journeys: theory, findings, research agenda, and policy.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Shadbolt N, Apparao D, Hunter S, Bicknell K, Dooley A (2017) Scenario analysis to determine possible, plausible futures for the New Zealand dairy industry. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research 60, 349–361.
| Scenario analysis to determine possible, plausible futures for the New Zealand dairy industry.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
