ISS Tools & Methods

In this dedicated section, we present an array of tools and methods specifically tailored for and by Innovation Support Services (ISS) providers within the agricultural domain. These resources are designed to empower ISS providers in delivering effective support to farmers, agribusinesses, and other AKIS stakeholders. Whether you're seeking tools to enhance technology adoption, facilitate market access, or improve sustainable practices, our curated collection offers a wealth of solutions to meet your needs. Explore these innovative tools and methods to optimize your service delivery, strengthen collaboration within the AKIS network, and drive meaningful impact in the agricultural sector.

Kitchen table talk

To enable dialogue with all relevant stakeholders

Informal and relaxed gathering of stakeholders with possbily different agendas to come to a shared plan

Innovation Phase:

Inspiration

Treasures on the farm

For a farmer to quickly get feedback if his idea has potential

Informal setting where 1 farmer pitches his idea to several experts and gets immediate feedback if he should develop his idea further of if he is ready for further support or participation in a projec...

Innovation Phase:

Inspiration

Advisory board

Giving advice to farmers from different angles

With farm gatekeepers en non gatekeepers toegether give new insights on the farm management and how to develop those into a concrete plan

Innovation Phase:

Inspiration

Cross visits

To inspire and to inform farmers from a practical example led by another farmer

A farmers tells about/shows his new way of working to other farmers, including his positive and negative experiences, this differs from the explanation of a technology firm. The other farmers get new ...

Innovation Phase:

Inspiration

Match making platform

Matchmaking between farmers (suppliers) and industry (customers)

Matchmaking between farmers (suppliers) and industry (customers) for example to get an income from the sales of side stream fruit and vegetables

Innovation Phase:

Planning

Idea box at events

A low threshold way to collect ideas

Placing a box at an event or meeting for farmers to drop (anonimously) their ideas

Innovation Phase:

Initial idea

Entrepreneurs festival

Bringing together farmers and other entrepreneurs from the chain to get to know each other and explore potential collaboration

Setting: field with haystacks and food trucks, 1) testimonials on the head stages by way of interviews, 2) food - foodtrucks, 3) active networking via rotation system, 4) informal chat with coffee and...

Innovation Phase:

Initial idea

Dinner Hack

To test idea around food with different stakeholders together and look for solutions together

Informal setting ± 20-25 participants from entire chain and with different expertise/backgrounds, 1) prepare dinner together, 2) 1st brainstorm session (in groups of 4-5) → spouting ideas + list + mak...

Innovation Phase:

Inspiration

Spiral of initiatives

This tool supports you in understanding innovative processes as a whole; and mapping different phases, actors and activities.

The trainer explains the Spiral of initiatives diagram and its seven steps. Participants then identify what stage the project is at and analyse how the process has developed so far: what has been done...

Innovation Phase:

Inspiration

Circle of coherence

If people are not working well with each other, this tool helps you explore patters of interaction within a network; and how these patterns can be und...

A facilitator introduces the Circle of Coherence diagram, explaining the “vital space”, the four quadrants around it and their connections. Participants identify key actors (themselves, others) and id...

Innovation Phase:

Realisation

Triangle of co-creation

This tool helps you understand the roles and positions of actors in an innovative project.

A facilitator introduces the Triangle of Co-creation diagram, explaining the roles different actors can take when engaged and disengaged with the process. Participants identify key actors (themselves,...

Innovation Phase:

Development

Network analysis

This tool focuses on your project's connections/networks, identifying engaged actors, actors that might be missing exploring how to link with those yo...

Participants identify "carriers" (core actors committed to the project); "factors" needed to succeed (for example, money or knowledge); actors that could help provide the necessary factors (users, sup...

Innovation Phase:

Realisation

Eco-analysis

This tool furthers the Network Analysis tool frame (link) to explore the project's access to basic needs conditions (safety, nurture -money, knowledge...

After completing the Network Analysis, identify how the project is accessing basic needs; the group identifies if any basic needs are still needed, and who could help them source them. The group then ...

Innovation Phase:

Realisation

Timeline

A tool to reflect on how the innovation process has developed so far, identifying high and low energy moments, exploring constructive insights about w...

Map a timeline and have participants add the key activities/milestones/deliverables/moments (each a "scene") so far. Participants then glue -provided- emojis to each of scene they participated in; the...

Innovation Phase:

Realisation

Peer consultation

A simple method to tap into your peers' wisdom, experiences and ideas to address a challenge; and harnessing their insights and perspectives to find i...

The "narrator" asks participants a question to get their advice, but providing very basic information. Participants ask questions to understand the situation until they feel they can start the analysi...

Innovation Phase:

Realisation