Living labs are defined as both an approach and an arena for supporting experimentation in natural settings with a wide range of actors. In this article we explore the potential and limits of living labs for analysing and supporting the local transition of agri-food systems. We base on a bibliometric analysis and insights from our transdisciplinary research team’s experience with agroecological transition. It appears that living labs informed mainly by strategic managerial and user-centric approaches benefiting the dissemination of (technological) innovation, require certain changes in order to address sustainable development issues. Citizen-centred living lab approaches are better suited to increase capacity building and empowerment through action, iterative learning, and capitalization of experience. Faced with the specific issues of local agri-food system transition, we propose to (re)-introduce the notion of “commons” in order to support the collective territorial management of both material resources (food, environment) and immaterial resources (values, ideas).

活着的实验室既被定义为在自然环境中支持多种参与者的实验的一种方法，也是一种舞台。在本文中，我们探索了活着的实验室的潜力和局限性，以分析和支持农业食品系统的本地过渡。我们基于文献计量分析和跨学科研究团队在农业生态转型方面的经验得出的见解。看来主要是通过有益于传播（技术）创新的战略管理和以用户为中心的方法为基础的生活实验室需要进行某些更改才能解决可持续发展问题。以公民为中心的生活实验室方法更适合通过行动，迭代学习和经验资本化来提高能力建设和授权。