The future of R&I as driver of agrifood systems transformation and sustainability transitions: Perspectives from Asia-Pacific

The DeSIRA Perspective Briefs present lessons learned by the community of implementers of the EC-funded DeSIRA Initiative and their views on the future of research & innovation (R&I) as drivers of agrifood system transformation and sustainability transitions in their respective regions. By distilling key lessons from DeSIRA’s successes and challenges, these perspectives offer actionable insights in agricultural innovation systems for innovation stakeholders, decisionmakers, policy actors, and investors. Each perspective brief focuses on a specific region where the DeSIRA Initiative was deployed (Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa, Asia-Pacific). This brief synthesizes key outcomes and recommendations from DeSIRA projects, focusing on conceptual shifts, multistakeholder approaches, the evolving role of science and research, adaptive management, sustainability transitions, capacity building, and policy influence. It also offers some insights on future directions for research and innovation in the Asia-Pacific region.

To be transformative, agricultural research must shift towards systemic, participatory, and locally relevant approaches, while bundling different types of innovations (technical, social, organizational). This includes embedding agroecological principles into national and regional frameworks, ensuring innovations are adaptable and scalable. For example, research and innovation in DeSIRA projects in Vietnam demonstrated how integrating agroecology in mixed crop systems with traditional knowledge can enhance ecosystem services and food security. Research is also able to leverage emerging tools such as AI and digital platforms to generate data-driven insights for improving productivity and resilience. Participatory research models, where researchers collaborate directly with farmers and stakeholders, ensure innovations address realworld challenges. By bridging the gap between research outputs and practical application, these paradigms enhanced research relevance and impact. Empowering farmer organizations (FOs) is central to scaling sustainable agricultural practices. FOs provide essential services, including training, advocacy, and market linkages, ensuring that innovations reach smallholder farmers effectively. For instance, initiatives in the Philippines have successfully blended traditional farming practices with policy advocacy, improving resilience and securing livelihoods. Capacity-building efforts tailored to local contexts help FOs address challenges such as access to resources, climate adaptation, and knowledge sharing. Farmer-led and FOled research and innovation, supported by participatory approaches, ensures that innovations are co-designed with end-users, context-specific, and more likely to be adopted at scale. Scaling agricultural innovation requires clear directions, strong governance for actor alignment, targeted investments and long-term trust-based multistakeholder collaboration. Putting in place policy mixes for more performant agricultural innovation systems at national and regional levels is a prerequisite to broaden impacts from R&I projects and accelerate the pace of agroecology transitions.