e-ROSA D2.2 - Impact Chains and Science Solutions

E-Infrastructures for research have to help researchers to be more effective and efficient in contributing to the achievement of the societal or grand challenges as captured by the Sustainable Development Goals, or the Europe 2020 strategy. Even if this sounds obvious, this is not self-evident how to link challenges as comprised by the societal goals and impacts of research, to the role of research and the supporting role of e-infrastructures and associated ICT and data solutions.

To analyse the mechanisms of endeavours that aim to contribute to the European and global societal challenges, e-ROSA has followed an approach based on impact chains. The rationale was that deconstructing the path towards impact via the outputs of initiatives and the subsequent short-term and long-term outcomes would provide a better view on the logic behind this. As such, it provides better insight in the role of research and specifically the advances that need to be made in the area of Open Science and the development, broad adoption and effective use of an e-infrastructure for agriculture and food. The approach has been used to collect information from stakeholders in the field in various ways. A stakeholder workshop was held, that aimed at collecting views on achieving impact through research in various areas of agri-food. Additionally, stakeholders were asked to describe case studies of data-intensive research areas. Both, activities were directed by an impact chain analysis and from there on linked through to the role of research in general and the associated challenges and requirements with regard to Open Science and the role that an e-infrastructure for agriculture and food could play.

This deliverable provides an analysis of the workshop and case study results and the underlying impact chains. It considers the linkages of research with the impact chains of a diverse range of subdomains and cases, and states the relevant roles of research in achieving impact. It also provides a shortlist of requirements and solutions in the areas of sharing of resources, connecting resources and collaboration. We consider these as important inputs for the roadmap towards an e-infrastructure for agriculture and food. As such, they need to be included as part of the subsequent strategy to develop this infrastructure and its organisation, its adoption by the broader scientific communities and its governance.