Innovative governance and dynamics of cognitive models for agriculture in territorial development : Lessons from a collaborative research program

For and About Regional Development (PSDR) is the largest French research program focused on the analysis of rural and periurban dynamics. It is designed as both a process of scientific knowledge production, and building methods and tools for decision and action in the territories. In this paper we intend to analyze the contribution of the PSDR program in the construction and diffusion of agricultural and rural development models. The specificity of PSDR research devices and their integration in regional arrangements on research and action for regional development is analyzed. We show what kind of knowledge is produced, how it questions agricultural practices and rural development policies at regional level, and also the influence of these processes in terms of structuring networks and cognitive communities at local and interregional levels. In that way, we can assess the innovative role of the PSDR program concluding on its influence on “niches” organization standards diffusion, or transition process. The mobilized data to lead our analysis consist of a detailed knowledge of the PSDR device from our experience of management of the program and various documents produced by projects and animation teams in each of the ten regions involved in the program