| dc.description.abstracteng | Agriculture is becoming increasingly heterogeneous in its structure and output, accompanied by multifaceted expectations for the future, which adds complexity to political frameworks and support schemes. Addressing these developments requires innovative transitional processes and solutions. Associated with this, new evaluation concepts are required to capture and aggregate the individual and qualitative contributions of supported enterprises, especially concerning public, social, and ecosystem services. From a bottom-up perspective, the systematic analysis and presentation of new production methods can facilitate the upscaling of innovative solutions and practices.
To support green and social transitions in agriculture, solutions from novel areas in the sector should be investigated. Although specific aspects of these novel areas have been partly explored, systematic investigations are lacking. Considering entry methods into farming, comparing traditional farm successors with the category of newcomers from outside the sector, can strengthen support for new entrants. Newcomers often enter agriculture by implementing innovative business models. A holistic template for investigating these business models is beneficial for capturing and transferring their multifunctional contributions.
This dissertation addresses two key aspects: new entrants and business models. First, it analyses the differences between two groups of new entrants—family successors and newcomers—because they are pivotal for generational renewal and sustainable business transformations. Second, it seeks to holistically capture innovative business models to derive transfer-able implications for the broader implementation of nature-based solutions (NBS), including novel production systems (e.g., urban agriculture, indoor farming, and aquaponics) and production methods.
The following research questions are addressed:
I. Is an individual consideration of the two new entrant groups beneficial in relation to their individual contributions and necessary regarding each group´ requirements (Contribution 1)?
II. What conceptual framework enables the holistic capture of NBS business models (Contribution 2)?
III. Which transferable governance and financing concepts exist within NBS business model clusters (Contribution 3)?
Methodologically, a quantitative online survey of new entrants across several European countries was used to test five hypotheses derived from the literature. A regression model was employed to determine whether differentiating between the two groups of new entrant farmers is necessary (Contribution 1). Guided interviews based on a new business model template derived from the literature were conducted on NBS implementations in different countries. Pestoff’s welfare triangle was applied to cluster NBS interventions into business model clusters to develop transferable implications (Contributions 2 and 3).
The results showed that compared with established farmers, new entrants are more likely to innovate in agriculture. For the respective sample, the regression model determined type-dependent differences between family successors and newcomers. Newcomers bring ideas, innovations, and networks to the agricultural sector and rural areas, where most of their work and living activities take place. Even after entering agriculture, their reliance on limited production resources fosters innovative resource-efficient solutions and sustainable transformations (Contribution 1).
To fully understand these business models, a holistic analysis is required. The Nature-based Sustainability Business Model Canvas (NB S BMC) considers not only economic but also societal and ecological dimensions, providing a general tool for capturing and evaluating innovative business models on a valid and comparable basis (Contribution 2). Clustering heter-ogeneous business models allows for the derivation of transferable implications. By applying Pestoff’s welfare triangle to the NBS case study, three business model clusters emerge: public provisions, sales, and diversification. NBS governance models are highly adaptable, independent of business model type, and can include a diverse range of stakeholders. Given the temporary nature of public support, alternative financing strategies, such as donation models, collaborations with research and commerce, and recurring revenue streams, are crucial for the sustainability of public and diversified business model clusters (Contribution 3).
In conclusion, this cumulative dissertation highlights the need for the systematic investigation of novel agricultural approaches. New entrants and NBS contribute considerably to innovative transition processes and solutions. Their contributions and requirements must be considered by using individual approaches. Owing to their heterogeneous and multifaceted achievements, the business models of newcomers and NBS can only be effectively captured using holistic concepts. Financing remains a common challenge in these novel areas owing to their early stages and limited resources. Therefore, tailored support schemes are required to achieve targeted upscaling.
The areas examined in this dissertation qualitatively contribute to economic, social, and ecological innovation. Further research is required to explore the scalability of newcomers’ and NBS` qualitative contributions and their potential to contribute quantitatively to overall agricultural production. | de |