able to design technologies that benefit users at the top of agrosupply
chains. Secondly, policymakers can be seen to have a key
role to play. Policymakers aim to enable innovation, especially since
the previous financial crisis. Whilst traditional ‘supply side’ measures,
such as state support for start-up companies or tax-breaks
for research and development efforts, could play a role (OECD,
2014), measures aimed at the demand side will also be required
(Edler, 2007). Tax-breaks may reduce the costs associated with CSA
technological innovations, impacting the cost and ROI barriers
identified on both the demand and supply sides. However, other
barriers, such as lack of access to and knowledge of potential customers
and the inaccessible language within which CSA (and wider
sustainability) is framed, will be left unaffected.
As policy issues were identified as a barrier by both technology
producers and potential users, policies at the regional, national and
European level should also be examined. These policies need to be
compatible with CSA objectives and their ability to boost the
development and adoption of CSA technological innovations in
Europe. More generally, to facilitate the selection and adoption of
CSA technologies, awareness of CSA needs to be increased, as well
as the collaboration between farmers, industry and technology
providers (Wubben et al., 2012). Education programmes and
awareness raising campaigns could be launched; these would
better prepare technology providers to address the market needs of
their customers, and end-users for the adoption of these technologies.
This will also raise the profile of CSA in particular and the
impact of climate change on agriculture more generally. Actions
should also be considered in terms of promoting and facilitating
‘user-centred’ innovation and co-creation, by bringing together
technology producers and the end-users (Blok et al., 2015).
Action should be taken that supports CSA technology providers
in the development of business models for their CSA technology,
identifying suitable customer segments and entering the market. In
order to develop business models for particular CSA technologies,
technology providers require other actions, including a CSA technology
broker to identify new customer segments and new markets.
In addition, aid with impact analysis of CSA technological
innovations and potentially a labelling scheme would allow the
economic and climate impacts of the technologies clearly demonstrated,
providing evidence and reassurance to the eventual
adopters and end-users.
It should be recognised that this research was exploratory in
nature and based on a limited sample. As such the current analysis
is able to identify key typologies of the barriers impacting the
adoption and diffusion of CSA technological innovations. Further