A critical analysis of co-production in a living lab through citizen-centric innovation for climate-resilient agri-food systems

Abstract

Living Labs (LLs) are increasingly used by scientists and practitioners to support participatory innovation, yet little is known about how such approaches function when introduced through externally funded projects in low-income contexts. This article examines the establishment of a Living Lab for People (LL4P) in Nandi County, Kenya, between 2022 and 2025. The study draws on repeated interviews with advisory board members, workshop observations, project documents, and institutional reports to analyse how the LL4P was designed, governed, and implemented in practice. The findings show that the development of a locally embedded LL depended less on technical innovation processes than on negotiations around power, ownership, inclusion, and institutional legitimacy. A key turning point was the decision by the initiating research team to transfer agenda-setting and decision-making responsibilities to the LL4P advisory board, which strengthened local ownership and agency. However, broad stakeholder representation did not automatically resolve tensions related to power asymmetries, governance ambiguity, or differing understandings of inclusion and gender transformation. The paper argues that LLs in agri-food systems should be understood as social and political processes rather than primarily technical innovation platforms. Based on the Nandi County experience, we propose a revised conceptualization of the LL4P as a citizen-centric and place-based innovation space that emphasizes co-design, learning, and locally negotiated governance. The study contributes empirical insights into how externally initiated LLs can gradually transition toward more locally led and context-responsive forms of innovation governance.