Innovation Systems Perspectives on Developing-Country Agriculture : A Critical Review

Early applications of the innovation systems framework to developing-country agriculture suggest opportunities for more intensive and extensive analysis. There is ample scope for empirical studies to make greater use of the theoretical content available in the literature, and to employ more diverse methodologies, both qualitative and quantitative. Further, there is room to improve the relevance of empirical studies to the analysis of public policies that support science, technology, and innovation, as well as to policies that promote poverty reduction and economic growth. This paper attempts to examine these issues with respect to recent applications of the innovation systems framework to developing-country agriculture, and suggests several ways to strengthen the mode of inquiry and quality of analysis. The paper begins by tracing the literature on innovation systems from its roots in evolutionary economics and systems theory, followed by a review of recent applications to developing-country agriculture. This discussion is followed by the presentation of a model of an innovation system derived from a series of game theoretic and population game models in which heterogeneous agents interact and evolve through strategic patterns of behavior. The paper then reviews the strengths and weaknesses of recent applied work in developing-country agriculture and concludes with recommendations for improving analytical strength, relevance to public policy, and relevance to poverty reduction.