Resumo

MUNOZ-RODRIGUEZ, Manrrubio  e  ALTAMIRANO-CARDENAS, J. Reyes. Innovation models in the mexican agricultural/food sector. agric. soc. desarro [online]. 2008, vol.5, n.2, pp.185-211. ISSN 1870-5472.

The increasing loss of competitiveness in the Mexican agricultural/food sector, the deterioration of natural resources and the persistence of poverty in the rural environment, can hardly be overcome if the linear innovation model, which has dominated the development approach adopted in the agricultural/food sphere, is not changed. Based on various case studies, the need to go beyond the vertical character of this model is argued, and to recognize that innovation is a social process in which multiple actors or nodes, each with different resources, capacities and abilities, interact and co-develop new knowledge with great potential to generate changes that create wealth. The real challenge is in valuing the power of networks as an innovation mechanism.

Palavras-chave : Agriculture; innovation; networks.