BegleitDiP – Accompanying research on the digitalization of plant-based value chains for the development of a participatory and learning sustainability monitoring

Project description:

The south of Saxony-Anhalt is facing major social and economic challenges due to structural change. As a region with a strong agricultural character, the agricultural sector in particular is a pioneering one. The DiP alliance is actively strengthening the region by further developing the plant value chains using digital technologies. The aim is an economic transformation of the region that is ecologically, socially and, above all, economically sustainable. For the sustainable development and establishment of innovations within the plant value chain, it is necessary to build up an information base in the region that, among other things, makes the advantages of the innovations accessible so that their social, ecological and economic added value can be fully utilized.
To support this goal, the accompanying DiP project is building up a participatory and learning sustainability monitoring system: The project analyzes regional stakeholder structures and develops transformation indicators and future visions together with the stakeholders. Holistic assessment approaches for the regionalized socio-economic impact assessment are established in order to support the practical implementation of the innovations researched in the DiP alliance and at the same time to accompany the region in its development. The information and indicators are prepared and passed on in an appropriately communicative manner for target groups in the accompanying DiP. The plan is to present them on a digital information platform with open access for all stakeholders. The monitoring setting has a strongly participatory, learning and communicative character. The accompanying DiP project carries out this monitoring with associated communication activities.

For the south of Saxony-Anhalt, the project strategically shows existing potential for the development of a sustainable economy.

The project is divided into five work packages (WP):
WP1 includes the analysis of the stakeholder landscape and coordinates the activities for stakeholder participation in order to ensure - in coordination with the DiP coordination office - their active participation in the accompanying research activities.
In WP2, two life cycle-based assessment methods are developed that make it possible to evaluate the various processes and technical concepts developed in the focus topics of the DiP model region and to classify their impact on the region.
In WP3, these results are linked with information and data from the individual projects in the Dip region, automated and processed in such a way that they are available to the region's stakeholders in the form of a learning monitoring system for regional sustainability.
In WP4, the results obtained are brought together and evaluated in order to derive recommendations for the further development of the DiP projects and policy recommendations for dealing with regions undergoing structural change. The synthesis helps to strengthen the regional conditions for the implementation of the digitization approaches sought in the DiP model region.
WP5 coordinates the activities within the accompanying research and organizes the exchange with the coordination office and the partners in the DiP alliance.