THE DECENTRALIZATION OF THE AGRICULTURAL INNOVATION SYSTEM IN LATIN AMERICA

Abstract

Background. Agricultural innovation systems (AIS) have emerged in various Latin American countries as an organizational and regulatory framework to promote goals such as sectoral competitiveness, technological development, institutional articulation and rural development. Objective. To develop categories of analysis of the innovation system in agriculture, to facilitate a greater understanding of dynamics that can be configured at regional and local rural scales for developing Latin American countries. Methodology. Based on a qualitative methodology of documentary research based on an extensive bibliographic review, a specific state of the art was carried out for the concept: Agricultural Innovation System (SIA), in order to understand various forms of approach and its interrelation with the territorial question. For the literature search plan, several databases and literature search equations were selected and finally analysis categories were constructed. Results. This study generated four frameworks for analyzing and approaching the innovation system in agriculture from a decentralization perspective: the system from the rural territorial approach; purposes and functions of a territorial innovation system; the farmer and his organizations as intermediaries in innovation at local scales; and the innovation system as a model of rural territorial extension. Implications. Our results provide knowledge about the perspective of the decentralization of the agricultural innovation system specifically for the Latin American context, which for several years has moved towards the rural territorial approach, the recognition of rural regions and their territorial particularities. Conclusion. The results of this study contribute at least two important contributions. Firstly, the classification of rural territory as a key level of analysis for the decentralization of the national agricultural innovation system. In addition, it provides elements that allow us to contribute to the design of public policies for agricultural innovation.

Keywords

• agricultura
• cadenas productivas
• regiones rurales
• sistemas de innovación