The role of living labs in cultivating inclusive and responsible innovation in precision agriculture

Abstract

The emergence of precision agriculture technologies has brought forward new opportunities and challenges in the agricultural sector. We delve into the role of living labs as dynamic platforms for fostering responsible innovation in precision agriculture. We highlight our early experiences regarding processes and best practices by which an interdisciplinary research team uses living labs as a methodological approach to design and test trustworthy PA innovation. Our living labs methodology is composed of five interrelated activities: (a) face-to-face interviews and surveys with farmers, (b) multidimensional field data collection and analysis, (c) a quasi-field experiment and serious games to test the effectiveness of sensor-driven performance-based payment for improving ecosystem services, (d) design workshops, and (e) extension and outreach of PA tools and knowledge to farmers and rural communities. Our initial findings demonstrate how living labs can be leveraged to co-create sustainable solutions that are socially and economically responsive to the challenges of farmers and rural communities, and environmentally sustainable. Our research underscores the importance of including experts from various fields to collaborate and contribute to innovation development. We share the challenges and opportunities associated with implementing living labs in the context of precision agriculture technologies. By sharing our early experiences in establishing living labs in the United States, we aim to contribute to the promotion of inclusive and responsible innovation within the living lab community and offer valuable guidance to other researchers embarking on similar initiatives.