Revealing power dynamics and staging conflicts in agricultural system transitions : Case studies of innovation platforms in New Zealand

Innovation platforms (IPs) that support agricultural innovation to enable transition processes towards more sustainable agriculture provide a space where conflicts of interest among actors in the existing agricultural system (the so called incumbent regime) may play out. Sometimes these conflicts over how actors will benefit from an action are not revealed until actors are brought together. However, a barrier to change occurs when IP actors use their existing power to mobilise resources to influence if and how individual and collective interests are aligned. In the context of agricultural innovation and transitions, this paper uses the power in transitions framework (Avelino and Wittmayer, 2016), along with analytical perspectives on conflicts and role perceptions, to understand how consciously staging or revealing conflicts of interest among IP actors changed role perceptions and power relations among these actors. The paper explores this topic in two IPs addressing agricultural production and sustainability challenges in New Zealand's agricultural sector. Conflicts were staged in IPs when one group of actors mobilised resources that enabled them to move existing power relations from one-sided, to synergistic or a mutual dependency. This enabled conflicts to be acknowledged and solved. In contrast, conflicts were not staged when actors mobilised resources to maintain antagonostic power relations. Our cases demontrate that staging conflicts to change actors' role perceptions is an important intermediary step to forming new power relations in the agricultural system. Our findings highlight the need for IP theory to conceptualise power relations in IPs as context specific, dynamic and a force shaping outcomes, rather than solely a force exerted by actors in the incumbent regime over IP actors.</p

Meat processing company staff as innovation intermediaries: Developing a framework from New Zealand’s red meat sector

Purpose: Meat processing companies have the potential to raise farm and sector productivity by directly working with farmers. This study assesses how commercial companies can undertake the roles of innovation intermediaries to increase productivity in New Zealand’s sheep and beef sector. Design/methodology/approach: This study uses a case study approach from the red meat sector in New Zealand. The case study included the development of a trial agricultural extension system established by staff from meat processing companies acting as innovation intermediaries, providing opportunities for skill development and knowledge transfer for farmers. From the case study, a framework is developed which illustrates how company staff can undertake the role of an innovation intermediary. Findings: (1) Meat processing company staff are able to successfully undertake the role of an innovation intermediary; (2) flexibility is necessary, as staff undertook each of the functions to different degrees depending on their existing skills and knowledge of agricultural extension and the time available within their current job; and (3) adaptability is important, as staff adapted the project to meet the needs of both farmers and their employer. Practical implications: Balancing commercial and extension roles is challenging. The framework could assist companies to clarify how individual company staff could successfully undertake specific roles. Theoretical implications: This paper discusses factors influencing which innovation intermediary roles and functions are optimally undertaken by staff within or outside a meat processing company. Originality/value: Analysing the role of an innovation intermediary from the perspective of meat processing company staff balancing their extension and commercial role

Modelling heavy metal ion adsorption onto fungi using chitin and chitosan

Abstract not available

Surface characterisation of fungi and its implications to metal ion adsorption

Heavy metal pollution of water ways via industrial activities has the potential to have considerable impact on the environment. Specifically, heavy metals tend to accumulate through the food chain, leading to serious environmental and public health problems. Therefore technologies that allow efficient and economic removal of metal contaminates are highly desirable. Biological substrates provide the basis of one such technology and have been shown to remove aqueous heavy metals from effluent streams. Many biological substrates have been studied ranging from fungi, bacteria, seaweed and leaves. Fungal species in particular, have shown promise as effective, efficient and economic adsorbents, comparable to currently used inorganic substrates. Metal removal by biological substrates occurs through a process known as biosorption, which is considered complex, often involving multiple mechanisms such as ion exchange, complex formation and/or precipitation. While the suitability of various substrates has been extensively studied, elucidation of the mechanisms involved has yet to be as thoroughly examined. This study examined three inactive (dead) fungal substrates (Mucor rouxii, Pycnoporus cinnabarinus and Rhizopus stolonifer) for their potential to remove a range of divalent aqueous heavy metals from solution as a function of pH. It was found that Mucor rouxii demonstrated substantially greater adsorption efficiency than the other two fungi for all metals studied (Cd(II), Cu(II), Mg(II), Pb(II), Ni(II) and Zn(II)). Kinetic studies of Cu(II) adsorption show that the biosorption step is a relatively fast step with the majority of adsorption occurring within the first minute. The mechanisms responsible for biosorption were studied through a range of surface characterisation techniques including, analysis of the chemical structure of the substrates (via X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR)), electrophoretic mobility studies and modelling of surface charge titration data. Spectroscopic studies established the importance of both carboxyl and amine functionality, a finding also supported by the surface charge modelling of the three fungi. Adsorption efficiency appears to be directly correlated to the amount of these functional groups present M. rouxii, in particularly, was established as a suitable candidate for removal of heavy metals from solution and worthy of consideration as a biological adsorbent

Aqueous metal adsorption onto biological substrates: the effect of surface chemistry

Abstract not available