Analysing agricultural innovation systems: a multilevel mixed methods approach

In this paper the authors present the development of an analytical framework to study agricultural innovation systems. They divide the agricultural sector into four levels and expand the innovation system approach to study innovation processes. On the example of the role of farmers and extension services in agricultural innovation processes wthey demonstrate the adequateness of the approach and give detailed insight into the later stages of the innovation process, where barriers occur most in the German agricultural innovation system. The paper was presented at the 131st EAAE Seminar ‘Innovation for Agricultural Competitiveness and Sustainability of Rural Areas' (Prague, September 18-19, 2012).