Innovative approaches to address challenges of a local agri-food system in Portugal: Combining institutional analysis and participatory systems mapping

Challenges in agri-food systems are characterized by complexity, often involving irreconcilable trade-offs and cause-effect relationships that are separated in space and time. To understand their root causes and develop innovative strategies and policy instruments to address these complex problems, a systemic understanding is indispensable, but arguably often lacking in scientific and policy debates. In this paper, we therefore aim to combine institutional analysis with systems thinking. Systems thinking is a school of thought that enables us to understand the interrelationships between system components, identify the drivers of system behaviour, and uncover mental models (Meadows 2009). More specifically, we apply Participatory Dynamic System Modelling in a case study of the Alqueva Dam in Portugal, characterized by intensive irrigated agriculture and interrelated challenges such as biodiversity and ecosystem loss, soil erosion, and water salinization. By combining these two approaches, we first aim to understand local practices and their underlying institutional and governance-related drivers; as well as their intended, unintended, and non-linear causal effects. Second, we aim to identify together with local and regional stakeholders from different sectors, innovative solution approaches to challenges of the current agri-food system in the area, and understand whether and how these solutions fit to the overarching socio-economic and institutional context in which local actors are embedded. Conceptually and methodologically, we thereby aim to contribute to more systemic understanding of institutional analysis.