Knowledge and innovation transfer via intermediary organizations in the agro-food value chain

Abstract The importance of innovation in the agro-food sector and the extension services has gained significance both in the practice and in the academic context. The agro-food sector is facing rapid and fast-spreading challenge such as, increased uncertainty due to rising of food price, resource scarcity and climate change. In this context, innovation and knowledge transfer are starting to became key tools for practitioners to tackle the latest global challenges. However, handling innovation remains a crucial step for many stakeholders in the agricultural value chain. Smallholder farmers, farmers, retailers, processors, public and private institutions, academics, researchers and so on, face different constraints in accessing or spreading innovation, knowledge and capital. This calls for the presence of intermediary organizations. The purpose of the thesis is to firstly present an overview of the role of intermediaries, fostering innovation processes for smallholders farmers; secondly to understand how they can facilitate the development of the agricultural value chain; and finally present an empirical application, understanding the facilitation of innovation processes by Local action groups in the Italian agro-food value chain. The thesis reviews, regardless the specific context, literature on functions of innovation intermediary organizations and the way in which they support smallholder farmers to adopt and participate in innovation processes, thus fostering participation in market exchanges and farmers’ development. Moreover, it aims at contributing to academic debate on innovation intermediaries, by adopting a value chain perspective, entailing an explorative multiple case research based on the theory-building approach. Finally, gives an empirical analysis on the case of Local Action Groups as potential innovation intermediaries within Italian rural development program. Findings highlight (i) that matching function of innovation intermediaries and types of farmers challenges is crucial in order to enhance adoption and diffusion of innovation; (ii) that different types of intermediaries affect the value chain at micro, meso and macro level and finally (iii) which are the main factors that affect the decision to activate innovative measures by local Action Groups within agricultural and rural policy.