A dialogue between innovation studies of economic development and transition studies: An illustration from Argentina’s agriculture sector

Abstract

A dominant perspective within the field of development economics is that structural change away from the industries that developing countries traditionally specialize in, such as agriculture and mining, is necessary to support a broad process of development. In this paper, we ask whether and how structural change within, as well as away from, such industries might help create more economically successful, socially just and environmentally benign trajectories of progress. Combining insights from innovation studies of economic development with ideas from socio-technical transitions studies, we analyse two cases of alternative, potentially transformative agricultural ventures in Argentina. We explore their practices, relative to mainstream ventures, and reflect on their potential to contribute to more sustainable trajectories of change within and out of the mainstream agricultural sector, and the ways in which they can be supported to do so.