Focus group sessions were established as part of a baseline assessment of the change-driven initiatives (CDIs). The aim of this baseline assessment is to understand the CDIs’ ambitions, their theories of change and activities, to examine their target stakeholder groups, and their embedding in networks, and to understand relevant knowledge sources, how CDIs access knowledge and interact with the K&I system.
Six CDIs of FOSTER are organisations, foundations and associations working on food systems from numerous perspectives. They vary in their goals, activities, target groups and sizes. Each of the initiatives is embedded across different parts of the food system. Some of them are largely linked to digital agriculture, others aim to preserve their local traditions and support local production and consumption. Some of them hold ambitions of being a platform for stakeholders, where they can work on their own projects.
Within FOSTER, each CDI works in tandem with an academic partner (AP), who act as translators between CDIs and the formal academic system, as well as facilitators during the knowledge coproduction process. These focus groups were organized by academic partners in cooperation with CDIs and included three to six CDI members. In total, five focus groups sessions took place.
The aims of the focus groups were:
- To solicit and deeply understand CDIs claims, concerns and issues from within their own worldview;
- To create the research steps adopted for the particular case studies;
- To support the ongoing relationship-building between the academic partners of FOSTER and CDIs.
A brief summary after each session was written. Information from the focus groups was analysed and insights from the sessions were used for the further identification of the CDIs´ knowledge gaps and needs.
Please find more information in the Deliverable “Consolidated status assessment report for 6 CDIs”.