Innovating Out of the Fishmeal Trap - A case study on how niche conditions in the Norwegian aquafeed sector led to the development of a sustainable technology with global potential

Abstract

As trends in population growth, resource scarcity, and global warming converge, global food security is becoming a pressing issue. To address this challenge, agricultural systems will have to transition towards more efficient and sustainable production regimes through the generation and diffusion of new technologies. The role of governance in catalyzing this change has long been a topic of research and debate. In this thesis, the author borrows from the concepts of “niches” and functional analysis to evaluate the role of governance and other factors in pioneering “Dynamic Formulation” technology for salmon within the Norwegian aquaculture sector. This technology was used to substitute expensive fishmeal, extracted from declining stocks of wild fish, with more economic and sustainable feed ingredients. It was found that the “niche” conditions, which facilitated this technological emergence, were only indirectly attributable to government policy. Instead, long-term price incentives, industry dynamics, and attributes of the technology itself were major drivers behind this innovation. This thesis contributes to multi-level and innovation system literature with a hybrid framework applied to a previously unstudied case and encourages discussion about the role of governance in optimizing an already functional “niche”.