Local public-private partnerships to promote innovation in agricultural value chains: the case of cocoa in Colombia

Ramírez-Gómez, Carlos Julián; Rodríguez-Espinosa, Holmes

doi:10.1590/1806-9479.2021.249339

Carlos Julián Ramírez-Gómez

Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad de Antioquia (UDEA), Medellín, Colombia. E-mails: cjulianmdr@gmail.com; holmes.rodriguez@udea.edu.co

http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0099-0932

Holmes Rodríguez-Espinosa

Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad de Antioquia (UDEA), Medellín, Colombia. E-mails: cjulianmdr@gmail.com; holmes.rodriguez@udea.edu.co

http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0822-0898

F1. Entrepreneurial activities	Entrepreneurs generate potential for innovation through knowledge, network development, and the search for new markets, thus creating new business opportunities and adding value (Hekkert & Negro, 2009Hekkert, M., & Negro, S. (2009). Functions of innovation systems as a framework to understand sustainable technological change: empirical evidence for earlier claims. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 76(4), 584-594.). This function is also defined in terms of the development of new technologies and applications at the company scale to reduce uncertainty (Audouin, et al., 2018Audouin, S., Gazull, L., & Gautier, D. (2018). Territory matters: exploring the functioning of an innovation system through the filter of local territorial practices - the example of the adoption of cashew trees in Burkina Faso. Journal of Rural Studies, 63, 130-140. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2018.08.007 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.201... ).
F2. Knowledge development	Knowledge development drives innovation. It does not take place, however, only in formal research institutions: it needs to take into account farmers, companies, and other actors within the agricultural innovation system as well (Hermans et al., 2015Hermans, F., Klerkx, L., & Roep, D. (2015). Structural conditions for collaboration and learning in innovation networks: using an innovation system performance lens to analyse agricultural knowledge systems.The Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension,21(1), 35-54. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1389224X.2014.991113 http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1389224X.2014.... )
F3. Knowledge diffusion and network development	Knowledge networks are a key function to promote information exchange, which contributes to further knowledge and innovation. Other authors have highlighted the importance of platforms and networks in promoting interactive learning and innovation, as well as the distribution of roles to facilitate diffusion (Eastwood et al., 2017Eastwood, C., Klerkx, L., & Nettle, R. (2017). Dynamics and distribution of public and private research and extension roles for technological innovation and diffusion: Case studies of the implementation and adaptation of precision farming technologies.Journal of Rural Studies,49, 1-12. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2016.11.008 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.201... )
F4. Guidance of the search	This system function requires developing a vision for the innovation system to guide entrepreneurial activities and knowledge development. “Innovation agendas” are particularly important in order to determine collective priorities for subsectors and regions, which includes designing future scenarios
F5. Market formation	This function refers to developing markets for new products, or existing products with new features. It involves promoting the formation of niche markets through strategies that promote demand for new products and generate consumer awareness. It is specifically related to functions such as resource mobilization to obtain risk capital, for instance (Klerkx et al., 2010Klerkx, L., Aarts, N., & Leeuwis, C. (2010). Adaptive management in agricultural innovation systems: The interactions between innovation networks and their environment. Agricultural Systems, 103(6), 390-400. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2010.03.012 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2010.03... ).
F6. Resource mobilization	Developing the previous functions requires resource allocation. Different types of investments are required to develop innovation including, among others, capital for the funding of basic research, subsidies for further developing technologies and innovative market concepts, but also other forms of non-financial investment
F7. Support from coalitions	The emerging of new technologies in the context of production, trade, and consumption systems often result in resistance from established actors. Advocacy coalitions can be a catalyst for this by influencing the innovation agenda and lobbying for resources and favorable institutions.

Innovation System Functions	Variables prioritized by actors	Local prioritization
Innovation System Functions	Variables prioritized by actors	Municipality of Necoclí	Municipality of Caucasia
Entrepreneurial activities	Entrepreneurial activities in other components of the cocoa value chain		✓
	Entrepreneurial activities with product innovation	✓	✓
	Entrepreneurial activities with innovation in market access	✓	✓
Knowledge development	Developing new knowledge on smart agriculture		✓
Knowledge diffusion and network development	Innovation in rural extension methods	✓
Resource mobilization	Strengthening technical and agro-business capabilities among the rural youth	✓	✓

Innovation Function		Strategic Objectives
Entrepreneurial activities	1	Different innovative entrepreneurial activities focusing on product transformation will be developed in the municipality, including cocoa-based derivatives, cosmetics, syrups, liquors, among other alternatives. This will be achieved through rural extension training programs focusing on capacity development, identifying local young innovators, fostering women's participation, and identifying learning styles and preferences among producers.
Entrepreneurial activities	2	Different market-oriented entrepreneurial activities will be developed in the municipality. Small businesses will have the ability to promote their products through technological platforms, social networks, client-engagement strategies, and negotiation skills to participate in business roundtables as a result of the implementation of rural extension training programs for entrepreneurs.
Knowledge diffusion and network development	3	Extension programs in the area of agriculture will include innovative methodologies, focusing on capacity development. This will lead to improved use of technology in the cacao sector, which will, in turn, contribute to producers' associations reaching over 80% of Premium cocoa production and to at least 50 organic cocoa certified producers.
Resource mobilization	4	The program “Joven cacaotero emprendedor” will encourage entrepreneurial activities by young cocoa growers to develop different technical, agro-industrial, and organizational capabilities around cocoa production and transformation. As a result, by the year 2030, young cocoa producers will have drawn at least 10 business plans for cocoa-related companies and will submit them to different funding sources supporting rural entrepreneurs.

Innovation Function		Strategic Objectives
Entrepreneurial activities	1	Different innovative entrepreneurial activities will be developed in the municipality, including organic and Premium cocoa production, product transformation, including cocoa-based derivatives, cosmetics, syrups, liquors, among other alternatives.
	2	Different market-oriented entrepreneurial activities will be developed in the municipality. Small businesses will have the ability to promote their products through technological platforms, social networks, client-engagement strategies, and negotiation skills to participate in business roundtables as a result of the implementation of rural extension training programs for entrepreneurs.
	3	Different multi-sector entrepreneurial activities will be developed in the municipality, involving agro-industry, tourism, education, the cosmetic industry, and the healthcare sector. Entrepreneurial activities will be fostered through technical and logistical services, and input supply, among other elements related to the cocoa value chain.
Developing new knowledge on smart agriculture	4	A smart agriculture model will be promoted for cocoa in the municipality of Caucasia. This will result in 20 cocoa farms being certified according to agricultural good practice codes, and in their incorporating some digital management technologies to improve decision-making processes, which in turn will result in better information collection, storage, and analysis.
Resource mobilization	5	The program “Joven cacaotero emprendedor” will encourage entrepreneurial activities by young cocoa growers to develop different technical, agro-industrial, and organizational capabilities around cocoa production and transformation. As a result, by the year 2030, young cocoa producers will have drawn at least 10 business plans for cocoa-related companies and will submit them to different funding sources supporting rural entrepreneurs.

[1] Source: Hekkert et al. (2007)Hekkert, M. P., Suurs, R., Negro, S. O., Kuhlmann, S., & Smits, R. E. H. M. (2007). Functions of innovation systems: a new approach for analysing technological change. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 74(4), 413-432.; Turner et al. (2016)Turner, J., Klerkx, L., Rijswijk, K., Williams, T., & Barnard, T. (2016). Systemic problems affecting co-innovation in the New Zealand Agricultural Innovation System: identification of blocking mechanisms and underlying institutional logics. NJAS Wageningen Journal of Life Sciences, 76(1), 99-112. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.njas.2015.12.001
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.njas.2015.12... ; Hermans et al. (2019)Hermans, F., Geerling-Eiff, F., Potters, J., & Klerkx, L. (2019). Public-private partnerships as systemic agricultural innovation policy instruments: assessing their contribution to innovation system function dynamics. NJAS Wageningen Journal of Life Sciences, 88(1), 76-95. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.njas.2018.10.001
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.njas.2018.10...

Brasil

Brasil

Local public-private partnerships to promote innovation in agricultural value chains: the case of cocoa in Colombia

Alianzas público-privadas locales para promover la innovación en cadenas de valor agrícolas: el caso del cacao en Colombia

Abstract: