Moreover, communities are no longer content to be passive recipients of solutions designed elsewhere but instead, there is growing recognition that the people most affected by societal challenges should play a central role in addressing them. This is where I see Living Labs (LLs) approach as an opportunity to co-create solutions that transforms communities.
LLs are collaborative physical or virtual spaces where researchers, policymakers, practitioners, and community members work together to co-create knowledge, test ideas, and both develop and iterate solutions in real-world settings. Unlike conventional research approaches, LLs are built on the principles of participation, dialogue, mutual sharing and learning. They combine scientific expertise with local and experiential knowledge, creating opportunities for innovation that are both inclusive and context-specific.
A recent comparative conference paper that I presented at the International Farming Systems Association (IFSA) conference in Montpellier, France explored how Living Labs promote learning and societal transformation through two case studies: the Prosperity Co-Laboratory (PROCOL) Africa in Kenya and the Living Good Food Nation Lab (LGFNL) in Scotland. Despite operating in very different contexts, both LLs demonstrate the power of collaborative learning and community engagement.
The Living Good Food Nation Lab being led by the University of Edinburgh Business School with a consortium of local partners across Scotland, focuses on transforming food systems by providing essential support and critical insight to all Scottish Local Authorities (32) and territorial Health Boards (14) as they prepare to their first Local Good Food Nation Plans. By bringing together stakeholders - from national government and its agencies, local government, the voluntary sector and grassroots organisations to share their experiences and expertise, the Lab helps build a shared understanding of how food policies can contribute to healthier, more sustainable communities.
Similarly, PROCOL Africa, a research project led by the Institute for Global Prosperity (IGP), University College London (UCL), seeks to broaden discussions about what prosperity means for communities in Africa. Rather than measuring prosperity solely through economic indicators like GDP and per capita income, the project works with local citizens to identify what truly matters in their lives. Access to clean water, environmental sustainability, food security, safety, and improved livelihoods all emerged as important dimensions of prosperity. Through participatory research and collaboration with citizen scientists, communities are actively involved in identifying their challenges and participating in developing solutions.
What I see as the most significant findings from the study was the role of LLs in fostering individual and collective learning. Both LLs create safe and inclusive spaces where participants could openly discuss complex and sometimes sensitive issues. Through these interactions, stakeholders developed a deeper understanding of different perspectives and learned to engage respectfully with people whose interests or viewpoints differed from their own. This research also highlighted how LLs promote “epistemic pluralism”, the recognition that multiple forms of knowing are valuable, and that scientific expertise, professional experience, and indigenous or local knowledge all contribute to the learning process. By valuing diverse ways of knowing, LLs enable participants to co-create solutions that are more relevant and responsive to local realities.
Beyond knowledge generation, participation in LLs helps strengthen leadership skills, confidence, and the capacity of individuals and communities to drive change. Participants report greater competence in managing conflicts, navigating power dynamics, and working collaboratively toward shared goals. These benefits extended beyond individual growth, contributing to stronger networks and more resilient communities.
However, in my work, I also show that LLs face a number of important challenges. While LLs have significant potential, they require time, resources, and long-term commitment. Limited funding and resource constraints emerged as key barriers to sustaining collaborative research and learning processes. This highlights a broader tension between the short-term expectations of the current research funding models and the long-term nature of meaningful societal transformation. Despite these challenges, LLs strength lies in their ability to place communities at the centre of innovation, ensuring that solutions are designed with, rather than for, the people they are intended to serve. By fostering trust, collaboration, and mutual learning, LLs help bridge the gap between research, policy, and practice.
Based on a conference paper: Living labs: Learning together with our communities
Ndungu Nyokabi 1, 2, Lisette Phelan 3, Simon Pringle 1, Henrietta L. Moore 2 and Mary Brennan 1
- University of Edinburgh Business School, Edinburgh, Scotland
- Institute for Global Prosperity, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- School of Sustainable Food and Farming, Harper Adams University, Edgmond, United Kingdom