The research programme Networks in Animal Husbandry began in 2004 without any concrete final objectives. The programme did have to contribute in all sorts of ways: by making “knowledge from the shelf” applicable, to making animal farming more robust, stimulating new knowledge arrangements and even to system innovations. It did all that – and more – in its facilitating role in the networks of animal farmers and other stakeholders in the sector. The programme began in effect as a big experiment

Zaalmink, W.

English

Organic Eprints

Networks learn from learning histories

Name not available

Wageningen Yield 

 34 < syscope > 35 
Figure 1. Flow chart of input through to outcome of Networks in animal husbandry. The dotted lines show the focus of the monitoring and evaluation.
Input
Objectives EL&I and programme 
Networks in Animal Husbandry
Supervising the network 2 Strengthening networks
3 Renewing the know-
   ledge arrangements
1 Making more strategic 
  space for agriculturalists
Throughput Output Outcome
From the start of Networks in Animal Husbandry, the Ministry of 
Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation (EL&I) who commis-
sioned it, wanted the main focus to be on concrete relevant output 
from the research programme. But because of the experimental 
character of Networks in Animal Husbandry, it became quickly 
apparent that the learning experience needed to be explicated and 
shared. Because of this, monitoring and evaluation in the network 
played a double role: it fostered both learning and accountability. 
The relevant questions played at two levels within the project as 
well. In the first, the facilitators wanted to reflect on and learn 
about the effectiveness of their intervention strategies (can we do 
things better?) and the project leadership was interested in both 
tracing the network’s development and testing the network as an 
instrument in itself. As well as that, the project was accountable  
to the EL&I for the achieved results. This variety of goals made it 
difficult to monitor and evaluate the programme. The network had 
to decide where it should focus its attention. In the course of the 
project the answer became clearer (see figure 1).
>> The first round of networks
For the network facilitators in the first sixty networks, it was a 
search to find out which tasks they should and could do. Was it a 
question of clearly leading the networks or was it more a case of 
assuming a less directive role. What did the networks need most? 
Knowledge input, contribution to the process or working on the 
conditions for realising the network objectives? The ideas of the 
networks and network facilitators often differed dramatically.  
These differences were discussed at length in combined network 
facilitators meetings, which were supported by a methodical and 
conceptual contribution from the action research team. This team 
was set up in the project to support the network facilitators in the 
implementation and development of their role and their task was  
to provide the monitoring and evaluation (M&E).
The action research team began by designing a coordinated moni-
toring model. They did this by looking at what was happening in a 
few networks, but also by approaching the network facilitators with 
m
on
ito
rin
g 
&
 e
va
lu
at
io
n
Networks learn from  
Learning Histories
The research programme Networks in Animal Husbandry began in 2004 without any concrete 
final objectives. The programme did have to contribute in all sorts of ways: by making 
“knowledge from the shelf” applicable, to making animal farming more robust, stimulating 
new knowledge arrangements and even to system innovations. It did all that – and more –  
in its facilitating role in the networks of animal farmers and other stakeholders in the sector.  
The programme began in effect as a big experiment.
Networks in Animal Husbandry
The research programme Networks in Animal Husbandry, financed by the Ministry of EL&I was set up in 2004 with the objective of develop-
ing a network approach which would give an impulse towards a more sustainable animal husbandry sector. Guiding principles in this pro-
gramme were: issue-steered from within agrarian business practice; the desire to learn together; and forming connections. Collaborative 
entrepreneurial initiatives could apply to the Ministry for support via public tender. Selection was made on the basis of the importance to the 
sector and to society in general and the innovation and drive of the applicants. In the first tender, in 2004, 165 ideas were submitted and 60 
of them received support. In the second tender, the criteria were more severe. There were fewer applicants for that reason, but they had a 
higher sustainability quotient. Finally, the third and last tender delivered once again 60 supported networks. In the four year duration of the 
programme, a total of 120 different networks were supported; some for one year and a number for several years. The support involved pro-
viding process supervision by a network facilitator, who could if necessary access knowledge from within Wageningen UR or other knowledge 
institutions. There was also a team for the external communication. An action research team provided the monitoring and evaluation methods 
and support for the network facilitators.
lists of questions such as: what are you doing? What are the  
network’s main activities? The idea was that this would deliver a  
significant amount of information on how the network functioned 
and how the network facilitators approached their role. In many 
cases, the network facilitators saw this method of working as a 
form of interference or sign of mistrust. They were themselves 
surely responsible for the functioning of the network? No-one else 
other than the network leadership had anything to do with this? In 
the end it was not so much the monitoring by the action research 
team but the combined meetings with network leaders that offered 
the most insights. Among other things about the way in which  
network facilitators guided the network; about the differences in 
perceptions about the project goals and the priorities within it; in  
the necessary criteria for participation in networks and in how the  
programme can better support the networks and their facilitators.  
The meetings revealed clearly that a number of network facilitators 
had difficulty dealing with the change from being a researcher to 
being a process manager.
>> The second round 
 The network facilitators in the second round of networks in 2006 
were also recruited as action researchers. This involved not only 
supervising the networks but at the same time also reflecting on 
the network’s functioning and then looking for improvements to the 
working methods. In this way a foundation was laid for monitoring 
and evaluation “on the job”. Every network facilitator began with at 
least two networks to acquire more, more rapid and broader expe-
rience. Facilitators from outside of Wageningen UR were brought in 
to provide different supervising skills and to anchor the working 
methods outside of Wageningen UR as well. 
The network facilitators received focused support by the action 
research team with a number of new instruments to acquire more 
insight into network processes and to develop intervention strate-
gies which could help the network progress. The instruments cho-
sen were: network analysis, triangle of change, innovation spiral 
and coherency circle (see figure 2).
The network facilitators could also ask questions and share experi-
ences during intervision meetings. This was the first form of inter-
active monitoring and evaluation whereby the relevant information 
from intervision meetings was shared at programme level. As well 
as that, the effect monitor was developed to explicate the effect of 
the networks on the evolution of new knowledge arrangements; on 
the entrepreneurs’ strategic space; and on the contribution to sus-
tainable agriculture. Strategic space refers to the opportunities and 
possibilities which the entrepreneur sees for developing his busi-
ness (space to move in). 
>> Learning history as M&E method
The search was on for an M&E method that could include all rele-
vant levels (facilitator, network and programme) and would deliver 
usable results quickly. This was found in Learning History (see box 
and figure 1). This method offered the networks, in modified form, 
the opportunity to explicate what was learned and achieved up till 
now. Facilitators could describe and evaluate the intervention strat-
egies with it. At programme level, the goals for working with net-
works as well as the results could be explained. The instruments 
that were developed for the network facilitators could be integrated 
into this M&E approach (see figure 2). The instruments enhanced 
the possibility for reflection on the network processes. Both the 
 36 < syscope > 37 
Time-line Method
Progress talks with the network
What were crucial moments? What can we learn from this for the future?
Learning History
Self evaluation
What does the “documentary film” of the network look like? What are the most important 
scenes? How can we understand what happened? What are the lessons to be learned?
Network Analysis
Composition of the network
Who are involved? How do we connect those involved? Which positions have the actors 
taken? Are we missing important players? Is this a network to build on?
Spiral of Innovations
Development of the content
How far has the idea developed? What should the next step be? What sort of knowledge 
is needed for that? Which actors need to move? 
Triangle of Change
Steering with energy
Where does the energy for change come from? What is the best sequence to use  
in approaching the actors? When can we take the following step in this sequence?
Circle of Coherence
Steering by connections
How healthy is the interaction? Which connections act as a limiting factor?  
Which intervention is effective at this moment to improve the interaction? 
Figure 2 Network instruments
Figure 3 Translation
Changers Keepers
Survivors
For more information: Wim Zaalmink, t +31 320 293530, e wim.zaalmink@wur.nl
Learning History
The Learning History method was originally developed for organisations in transition processes with the objective of involving workers more 
closely with these processes and to allow everyone to learn from them. In the setting of the Networks in Animal Husbandry programme, this 
method was modified and named “Network Story” (figure 1). The basis for this was the Time-line Method, an interactive session with network 
participants where they named the most striking moments and occasions along a time-line. The network story was written on the basis of 
this, supplemented with reflections by the network supervisor and the action researchers, viewed through different glasses such as the 
Network Analysis, the Triangle of Change, the Innovation Spiral and the Circle of Coherence (figure 2). The Effect Monitor was also added; 
the network results described in terms of increasing the entrepreneurs’ strategic space and that of the networks and the resulting knowledge 
arrangements.
network facilitators and the network participants were very enthusi-
astic about simultaneously sharing ideas and learning about net-
work processes and the parts of the story that were suitable for 
external communication.
In 2007, 29 learning histories from the second round of networks 
were analyzed. The network facilitator’s own development from 
project director via network facilitator to the new role as free actor 
emerged from this analysis (Wielinga et al., 2008). From being a 
network manager that is the type of project leader who plans the 
network activities, minds the budget and reports on progress; 
working from and with the linear knowledge transfer model. Via the 
network facilitator who guides the process and is less involved in 
the content; someone who stimulates co-creation of knowledge in 
the network and consciously steers towards increasing the strate-
gic space for the participants. To the free actor who mirrors and 
reflects and above all stimulates on the basis of energy and con-
nection; someone who continuously fosters learning within the net-
work. The network facilitators observed that research colleagues 
slowly began to see the value of their changing research role. In 
short, we not only perceived a change in approach in the entrepre-
neurs’ business practice, but also in the entrepreneurial researcher 
who took up the role of free actor. The learning histories have also 
shown what the output was from the networks’ activities (effect 
monitor). Entrepreneurs became more conscious of their environ-
ment and could more easily make their own connections with other 
parties. They also applied this approach with other challenges.  
And new coalitions were created between entrepreneurs, other  
parties in the chain and education.
>> What have we learned from Learning History?
The method, Learning History has proved itself in Networks in 
Animal Husbandry to be a suitable instrument for monitoring and 
evaluation in learning environments, for both the network partici-
pants and facilitators. An inspirational organisational form creates 
insight into how the network dynamics evolve; how different organi-
sational forms can be guided and steered; and which processes of 
change can be identified in the field. The network stories (learning 
histories) are a fascinating form in which to communicate both the 
content and the process of networks and their results to third par-
ties. It can be an example to others to take a similar approach and 
to show what can be achieved. To conclude: the chosen organisa-
tional structure in Networks in animal husbandry created a close 
collaboration between the different programme components. 
Because of this, and the informal consultation structures based  
on the network philosophy, the programme set-up and supervision 
structure could be continually modified and optimized. The inter-
vision structure turned out to be a valuable form in which to 
address the network facilitators as action researchers and to help 
them share experiences with each other and to learn together.


Networks learn from learning histories

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

Organic Eprints

Name not available

Wageningen Yield

NARCIS