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This paper aims to analyse the capacity of rural and urban spaces to promote innovation in the agro‐food firms. The purpose is to determine if the rural/urban division affects the innovative behaviour of agriculture, food processing and food distribution firms.

Business data have been obtained for over 2,000 firms based in the Valencia region, Spain. Out of them, over 200 declared to have taken part in R&D&i activities, mainly in partnership with public support institutions. The database supplies data of micro and small enterprises, which have been typically underestimated in the Spanish Survey on Technological Innovation in Enterprises. The database also makes it possible to identify the main location of agro‐food business, and the territory is divided in Local Labour Systems (LLS). LLS were in turn classified as rural or urban according to alternative criteria (OECD, national legislation). A logit model has been used in the analyses.

The location of enterprises according to the rural/urban divide does not appear relevant concerning innovation, although businesses orientated to the primary sector seem less innovative. Co‐op businesses appear to be more innovative.

The paper offers an approach of innovation in the agro‐food traditionally considered as a non‐innovative system. It explores how territory affects innovation using data from firms.

“Mad cow” and foot‐and‐mouth epidemics have brought food safety to the fore in Europe. Understanding the reasons for the crisis can be helped by comparing European systems of control with those countries that have avoided such problems (e.g. the USA and Norway). A second approach is to closely examine the experience of the UK, where there is most evidence of why and how problems can emerge. The article concludes that European food safety is most likely to be improved by attention to the control system itself. More reliance should be placed upon hazard evaluation techniques and legislation should be changed to allow consumers greater influence.

The purpose of this paper is to offer a new perspective on innovation in agro-food industry. Innovations in the agro-food industry depend on multiple forces interacting with each other under specific rules to create new ways to deal with social or economic processes. The relevance of this topic for the whole economy leads the authors to investigate main drivers of innovation in agro-food system.

The authors provide a framework that considers the role of policies, actors and activities for innovation in the agro-food industry and tests its validity on the Campanian tomato sub-system.

The authors’ framework applied to Campanian tomato sub-system shows the role of institutions, actors and activities in promoting innovation in agro-food system.

The paper offers a new perspective on innovation in agro-food industry.

Climate change and crucial environmental issues, such as global warming, soil degradation and water pollution have incited concern over the natural environment and have provoked both government and individual interventions in order to amplify constructive actions for environmental protection and restoration. Food is considered to be one of the most impactful consumption domains that substantially contribute to the overall carbon footprint. This chapter discusses the incentives and interventions oriented to support the transition to more sustainable agro-food systems. Furthermore, it provides a broader picture of stakeholders’ perceptions and adaptation to climate change uncertainties, as well as how climate change is perceived by consumers and how this may affect their food patterns, turning them to a more sustainable direction. Finally, a vocabulary of climate-related terms and a set of various exercises are presented, aiming to enhance students’ learning and critical thinking skills in the key role of the agro-food systems in climate change, sustainable development and environmental security.

This paper aims to identify the future trends in the agro‐food sector over the next two decades. Ten national technology foresight studies have been reviewed with the purpose of (i) envisaging the future socio‐economic and technology framework of the sector and (ii) highlighting major agro‐food technology clusters and their future application.

In this chapter we discuss the dynamics of convergence-divergence between organic and non-organic farming systems. We are specifically interested in how and in what ways organic systems emerge into a new system that synthesizes the diverse qualities of competing systems. Or, will these systems continue to diverge because of their path dependencies and contradictory, unresolvable logics? Alternatively, are we confronted with conversion? Following a discussion of the origin of organic agriculture and the IFOAM Principles, we explore differentiation of two agricultural paradigms that was developed more than 20 years ago before the rise of GMOs. This comparison identifies the key features of both systems and a first interpretation on the potential of convergence-divergence. Third, we take a macro-look at agro-food chain that offers insights on the convergence-divergence potential in the context of global, economic, market, political, and societal dynamics. Fourth, we discuss convergence-divergence at the production level comparing the four agricultural systems. Finally, we reflect and assess on the explanatory potential of our study for the future development of organic and non-organic agriculture/farming. We conclude that there is more evidence for conversion than for convergence.

In recent years, small farmers have been coming together more and more in networks and organizations, joining forces to resist the squeeze process that they are being subjected to in a system dominated by agribusiness. In alliance often with consumers and other actors concerned with issues of quality food, the environment, and social justice, these farmers are interested in developing alternative forms of production and consumption. These farmers, who are struggling to achieve self-reproduction and the establishment of sustainable agro-food systems, appear to be mainly concerned with the control of resources. The spread of this kind of experience evokes the issue of repeasantization. In this chapter, I use the case of the French association Réseau Semences Paysannes (RSP) to highlight some recent innovations in alternative agro-food models, as well as paths of research and rural development emerging within this framework.

The purpose of this study is to analyze the link between innovation technology (IT), relationships which affect the relational capital (RC), and intangible value for the environment, focusing on small and medium enterprises (SMEs) of agro-food sector (AFS) in which these topics are prominent.

This paper adopts a qualitative research methodology, based on a multiple case study. The empirical data were obtained from interviews designed to reveal the determinants of the Paoloni's CAOS model (characteristics, ambience, organization, start-up) useful to analyze the relational capital from the firm's perspective. The content analysis shows the most important factors influence the relationships of the companies analyzed.

The empirical analysis highlights the strong link between tradition and innovation in the AFS and its positive effects on corporate sustainability and company relationships as well as in enhancing knowledge. The introduction of ITs and the positive effects it produces in terms of efficiency, product quality, environmental sustainability and new communication channels is an important factor that influences business's relationships.

This paper contributes to the RC literature by stressing how ITs improve not only the executive process and performance of SMEs, but also the intangible resources of the territory. Accordingly, it provides both triggers for future research in the AFS, as well as suggestions to SMEs decision-makers to enhance their competitiveness. Furthermore, the paper offers insights to push policy makers in adopting policies that favor ITs investments in the AFS.

Vietnamese agro-food firms are often small and have short value chains. They are facing increasing competition from multinationals to serve the consumers of the rising middle class. It is assumed that co-creation or open-innovation can be a competitive innovation strategy for the Vietnamese firms. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to understand whether the agro-food firms have the “mental space” or an according mindset to innovate with their customers.

A three dimensional model of “mental innovation space” (MIS) was developed, comprising of the: focus of innovation, level of innovation and degree of collaboration. A total of 14 Vietnamese agro-food companies agreed to embark on a process of problem definition for innovation according to these three dimensions. This process creates a deeper understanding of the firms’ fuzzy front end of innovation and results in less hypothetical findings, compared with traditional interviews.

The results show that the Vietnamese agro-food firms have a rather small MIS. They are inexperienced with innovation in new product development and are even more unfamiliar with co-creation. However, the firms recognise the need for innovation and are enthusiastic about the use of co-creation. The applications of co-creation firms foresee are close to the market, motivated by meeting customer demand and keeping up with competitors.

The characteristics and willingness of the Vietnamese agro-food firms make that it is believed an open atmosphere can be created. Then, co-creation can foster innovation in order to strengthen their competitive position.