Involve Stakeholders in Implementing Solutions

For the results of research to be used, the results have to meet next and end user needs. This requires spending time building relationships and even spending time within stakeholders’ businesses to understand their needs and the way they work which helps to align researcher and stakeholder needs. This also demonstrates to next and end users that the research team are passionate and invested in solving the users’ challenges. Fronting up to share research results early and often helps with this.

Agricultural research is addressing increasingly complex problems, and the solutions to these require changes in farm systems and off-farm systems, in addition to technological changes. Stakeholders are then key in implementing these on- and off-farm components of solutions, so researchers need to be part of this wider stakeholder network and work alongside stakeholders to generate and implement solutions. This is supported by fronting up to share research results early and often.

Group Activity: Do a quick social analysis

Tools: Impact Planning Tool 
Support: Innovation Brokering