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Short abstract:

We introduce the constellation analysis as a concept for transdisciplinary exchange and present evidence from our research project Uckerbots. The mapped constellation illustrates compiled knowledge on the potential of robotic weed control.

Long abstract:

Co-design and transdisciplinary approaches are supposed to help tackling complex challenges in agriculture, for instance by enabling knowledge exchange and joint learning (Busse et al., 2019; Hölting et al., 2022; van Ewijk and Ros-Tonen, 2021). In practice, the question arises how a transdisciplinary exchange can accomplish these positive outcomes. We introduce the constellation analysis (CA) as a bridging concept to conflate knowledge of actors with distinctive perspectives (Schäfer and Kröger, 2016; Schön et al., 2007). CA is inspired by actor-network theory and visualizes actors, elements and their relations in order to stimulate a mutual understanding between social actors.

We present evidence from our project Uckerbots, in which an agritech start-up, agricultural and social scientists, farmers and IT specialists collaborate to develop a weeding robot for sugar beet cultivation and to create a sustainable value chain in north-eastern Germany. Our CA illustrates the status quo of organic sugar beet cultivation in north-east Germany and a possible future constellation with robotic weed control. We have iteratively developed the constellations based on feedback of the different project partners and further important regional actors (e.g. employee of the regional sugar company). The creation of the CA brings together the different perspectives of technology development, sugar beet cultivation and weed removal, and captures social and cultural aspects related to the establishment of the technology. It fosters a common problem understanding between the involved scientists and practitioners. The knowledge gained from the CA will be utilized for the development of a suitable business model.

Literature

Busse, M., Siebert, R., Heitepriem, N., 2019. Acceptability of innovative biomass heating plants in a German case study-a contribution to cultural landscape management and local energy supply. Energy Sustainability and Society 9, 36. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13705-019-0215-2

Hölting, L., Busse, M., Bülow, S., Engler, J.O., Hagemann, N., Joormann, I., Kernecker, M.L., Larondelle, N., Sturm, A., Turkelboom, F.,

Wätzold, F., Cord, A.F., 2022. Co‐design: Working with farmers in Europe to halt the loss of biological diversity. Ecol Sol and Evidence 3, e12169. https://doi.org/10.1002/2688-8319.12169

Schäfer, M., Kröger, M., 2016. Joint problem framing in sustainable land use research: Experience with Constellation Analysis as a method for inter- and transdisciplinary knowledge integration. Land Use Policy 57, 526–539. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2016.06.013

Schön, S., Kruse, S., Meister, M., Nölting, B., Ohlhorst, D., 2007. Handbuch Konstellationsanalyse: ein interdisziplinäres Brückenkonzept für die Nachhaltigkeits-, Technik- und Innovationsforschung. oekom verlag GmbH, München.

van Ewijk, E., Ros-Tonen, M.A.F., 2021. The fruits of knowledge co-creation in agriculture and food-related multi-stakeholder platforms in sub-Saharan Africa – A systematic literature review. Agricultural Systems 186, 102949. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2020.102949