Just transition is currently a leading principle in discussions about transitions. But what does that mean? How do we make sure that transitions are just? We have developed an operational framework to help people in the transition process to put justice in practice, based on a review of the literature, analysis of just transition practices and dialogues between policymakers, scientists and practitioners. We have scoped our work in the context of food systems transformation and climate change. The operational framework consists out of four steps and several questions that help to raise awareness on the potential to make transitions more just. It can even be used to initiate a dialogue among people in transition process on how they jointly would put justice into the transition practices. The report concludes with a knowledge agenda that summarises pending research questions that would be useful to further complete the operational framework.

Dutch policymakers are looking for easy and efficient ways to improve the access to European research results that are of interest for the Netherlands. This report has described a translation approach that consist out of 4 steps, to ease access to European research results. This approach is applied to the topic of climate adaptation, in particular sustainable management of the big rivers, which is one of the themes of the Dutch Knowledge and Innovationprogramme Water and Climate (NKWK). The conclusion is that the translation approach works well but depends on factors like the complexity of the question, the researcher’s understanding of the policy context as well as the researcher’s professional relation with EU researchers and the easy to translate policy questions into research questions.

strengthening capacities for sustainable development. As the international expertise and capacity building institute of Wageningen University & Research we bring knowledge into action, with the aim to explore the potential of nature to improve the quality of life. With approximately 30 locations, 5,000 members of staff and 12,000 students, Wageningen University & Research is a world leader in its domain. An integral way of working, and cooperation between the exact sciences and the technological and social disciplines are key to its approach.

Since the introduction of a devolved system of governance in Kenya in 2010, counties have been positioning themselves as hubs for catalysing socioeconomic development across the country, most of which is hinged on agrifood sectors. Based on analysis of the County Integrated Development Plans (CIDPs) and interviews with private sector and governmental officials, this study explored how county governments support investment in selected priority agrifood sectors: aquaculture, dairy and horticulture. The results show that county governments mainly aim to improve productivity, value addition and marketing. Financing infrastructure and providing inputs and extension and advisory services are the most common types of interventions. The more mature the sector, the more support county governments aim to provide to strengthen institutional governance and innovation systems, while the private sector is investing in integrated supply chain systems. This is observed in both the dairy and horticulture sectors. All three sectors would benefit from stronger public–private sector collaboration, but guided by governments that put in place supportive policies, laws and regulations to promote nutrition-sensitive, sustainable and safe agrifood systems.

Climate change presents one of the greatest challenges to the productivity and sustainable growth of the agricultural sector in Kenya due to extreme events such as droughts and floods as well as changes in temperature. Horticultural crops are particularly sensitive to climate change because of their high water demand and strict temperature requirements. Increased or decreased rainfall and increased temperature result in drought or flooding, lack of water for irrigation, and pests and diseases epidemic can affect the suitability of areas for growing horticultural crops. Understanding the impacts of climate for a given crop under specific conditions is key to supporting further development of the horticulture sector. While horticulture is a priority economic subsector in many counties, it is not known how the counties position themselves with regard to dealing with climate change threats in the sector. A review of the literature shows how climate change significantly affects the performance of horticultural crops across a variety of climatic zones and that counties need to be better prepared to address these effects. Horticulture covers myriad crops (including fruits and vegetables), which are affected by climate change in different ways. Seasonal patterns, both for temperature as well as (onset of) rainfall are changing. Temperature thresholds for specific crops are being exceeded, while some areas are now more favourable for growing certain crops where previously temperatures were too low. Suboptimal temperatures affect both the yield and quality of produce. The horticulture sector has also experienced incidences of pests, such as Tuta absoluta on tomato; climate change is a confounding factor to the spread and establishment of these pests. Agriculture which is highly affected by climate change is devolved to counties; as such, policies relevant to it are expected to be implemented at county level. An analysis of the County Integrated Development Plans showed that horticulture is a high-value subsector that plays a major role in generating revenue for county development. Most counties have prioritized horticulture and made substantial investments. Climate change is acknowledged as a threat to different sectors, but there is only scant analysis of the factors causing it, effects it will have and proposed responses to it. Farmers and crop officers from Kiambu and Kajiado counties are aware of climate change and its effects on horticulture. However, understanding of the relationship between cause and effect and of possible mitigating actions is weak. We observed that at all levels, in the field as well as at county level, preparedness for climate change is low and government support to the farmers is also limited. Due attention and informed decision-making based on, for example the Kenya Climate Atlas that is currently being developed, is required.

Sustainable entrepreneurs are key actors in sustainability transitions; they develop needed innovations, create markets, and pressure incumbents. While socio-technical transitions literature is well developed, questions remain in terms of (1) the different roles that sustainable entrepreneurs can play in sustainable transitions, and (2) how best to empower these roles. To explore these challenges, we review literature and construct a framework combining the multilevel perspective and entrepreneurial ecosystem perspective. We apply this framework to the context of climate-smart agriculture in (Western and Central) Europe. By analysing semi-structured interview data (n = 27) we find that sustainable entrepreneurs are constrained by ineffective policy, resistant users, as well as novel alignment issues within the supply chain. We focus on the role of sustainable entrepreneurs as coordinators of action rather than developers of technological innovation within transition contexts characterised by low landscape pressures, large unmotivated incumbent firms, low consumer awareness and demand, and unincentivized users (farmers). (C) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

African social entrepreneurs improving food security in their community are faced with difficulties to get access to finance. This study explores the role of blockchain technology to ease access to funding by social entrepreneurs to remittances from diaspora in the Netherlands. Therefore, the study has analysed the challenges of the current international transfer systems and the preferences and willingness of diaspore and social entrepreneurs to make use of the blockchain technology. The conclusion is that current systems can be improved by blockchain technology. However, the added value of blockchain for the specific case of Kenya might be low given the large option of online ways to transfer money. Furthermore, the information needs from diaspora needs to be matched with the willingness to reveal information by social entrepreneurs. If there are ambitions to make use of blockchain, we recommend to explore the application of blockchain technology on remittances via a process of trial and error.

A key issue in implementing adaptation strategies at the landscape level is that landowners take measures on their land collectively. We explored the role of information in collective decision-making in a landscape planning process in the Baakse Beek region, the Netherlands. Information was provided on (a) the degree to which measures contribute to multiple purposes, (b) whether they are beneficial to stakeholders representing different sectors of land use, and (c) the need for landscape-level implementation of adaptation measures. Our analysis suggests that the negotiation process resulted in collective decisions for more collaborative adaptation measures than could be expected from individual preferences previous to the planning session. Based on the results, it is plausible that the provided information enhanced integrative agreements by leading stakeholders to realize that they were mutually interdependent, both in acquiring individual benefits as well as in implementing the measures at the landscape level. Our findings are significant in the context of the emerging insight that targeted information provision for climate adaptation of landscapes can support collaboration between the relevant stakeholders.

Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) is one response to the challenges faced by agriculture due to climate change. As with other sustainability transitions, technological innovation is highlighted as playing a critical role, however, the adoption and diffusion of technological innovations in OECD countries is slow. The aim of this paper is to identify key socio-economic barriers, in terms of supply and demand, that inhibit the adoption and diffusion of CSA technological innovations in Europe. To achieve this aim, a theoretical framework is constructed based on a literature review of socio-economic barriers effecting adoption and diffusion. This framework is explored with data from semi-structured interviews with CSA technology providers and members of agricultural supply chains, such as farmers associations and consumer goods producers (the end-users of the technology). Data was collected on the barriers they experienced, with interviews conducted in the Netherlands, France, Switzerland and Italy. This data was thematically coded and categorised to identify key barrier typologies. The results demonstrate that barriers exist on both the demand (user) and supply (technology provider) sides. The paper provides recommendations for increasing the adoption and diffusion of CSA technological innovations, as well as implications for the CSA and innovation literature. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Rural Development Programmes (RDPs) are a step to mainstream climate concerns in the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). National and Regional RDPs for 2014 – 2020 include instruments that promote mitigation and adaptation strategies for agriculture to enhance biodiversity, environmental value of rural landscapes, efficient water management and the transition to a low carbon bio-based economy with reduced rates of GHG and ammonia emissions. This contribution presents a comparative assessment of actions undertaken by two EU Member states, the Netherlands (NL) and Hungary (HU) (national programmes), and two regions, Emilia Romagna (ER) and Valencia (VLC), which represent distinct agricultural and forest systems. It shows that EU regions selected for the case studies move towards mainstreaming climate concerns in Pillar II policies. In the sample, actions on ecosystems under Priority 4 (‘Restoring, preserving and enhancing ecosystems’) represent between 30 and 50% of the foreseen RDP expenditure for the whole period 2014- 2020. Actions under Priority 5 (‘Resource efficiency and shift to a low carbon and resilient economy’) account for less than 20% of the RDP expenditure. Implementation and monitoring become key factors of success to guarantee that measures are not cosmetic and they actually influence the transition to a sustainable bio-economy. Further efforts should contribute to progressively integrate innovative solutions in future adjustments of RDPs. Finally, further analysis of the regulatory framework, red tape, cultural change, and social innovations will be required to improve RDP effectiveness to face climate change challenges.