The scaling up of the innovations concept has gained importance in recent years, underlining the importance of disseminating successful innovations on a large scale to increase their socio-economic impact, seeking to sustain broad rural development and promoting public policies that generate equal and sustainable results. However, few projects take advantage of the adoption of innovative technologies to promote social change. This paper reports on an intervention model that incorporates common elements, from the literature, of scaling up, and includes novel such as linking technological and social innovations, with an exit strategy to build sustainable processes and results. The model is based on a trans-disciplinary approach, and leadership, that involves local communities and stakeholders to establish synergies, to give coherence to the whole process, and to build an exit strategy involving territorial dynamics related to the innovation. The model includes a clear definition of the objects, and the process, that should be transformed, and the specific methodologies to involve local communities and stakeholders, to reach the final target user. The model was applied to develop the project, More Nutritious Potatoes, for scaling up new yellow potatoes varieties with improved agronomic and nutritional attributes. To implement the project, the research team, local communities, and stakeholders agreed on specific actions to improve food security and nutrition in a sustainable manner. The operational objectives were, the strengthening of capabilities for autonomy and governance in public policies, the entrepreneurship to build inclusive businesses, the valorization of agro-biodiversity, the acquisition of good food habits, and the promotion of social equity. The methodologies employed allowed building of social and scientific capabilities for Colombia.

Low access and use of quality seeds limit agricultural competitiveness. Since 2013, the Corporacion Colombiana de Investigacion Agropecuaria -Agrosavia- initiated “Plan Semilla” with the aim of consolidating nuclei of quality seed producers under associative schemes that guarantee quality seed supply in the regions where the seeds will be used. Between 2013 and 2016, we undertook characterizations of the organizations participating within the framework of Plan Semilla using various qualitative tools for their diagnostics. However, it was not possible to specify the actions that needed to be taken in order to strengthen these organizations. The aim of this research was to generate an analytical model to evaluate the performance of participating organizations that would establish quality seed production nuclei and to validate the model’s use in those organizations that produce cocoa seed in the Plan Semilla framework. An analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was used to construct the model, which is composed of 4 dimensions (technical capacities, environmental resources, organizational capacities,and management capacities) that are related to criteria that are considered decisive for the consolidation of nuclei of quality seed producers. The model was assessed by 11 experts who identified the importance weight of the elements. In the validation, we used indicators from 30 cocoa seed producer organizations participating in Plan Semilla. We calculated additive utility functions and used a cluster analysis to define the thresholds and to establish the level of performance of the organizations. The results have improved the procedural rationality for the classification of organizations that seek to consolidate quality seed production nuclei.

The Andean blueberry (Vaccinium meridionale Swartz), known locally as agraz, possess a high level of anthocyanins and antioxidants and represents a socio-economical, environmental, and cultural alternative in Colombia. However, a characterization of the agri-food system has been done, limiting strategies for its valorization. The objective of this study was to characterize the Localized Agri-food System (SYAL) of the Andean blueberry in the Occidente and Ricaurte provinces of the Boyaca Department of Colombia. Three analytical axes were used within the SYAL approach: territorial anchorage, activation processes, and links between product quality and territory. The farmer product circuit methodology was used to identify agents linked to the product commercialization chain in the territory, and their participation was estimated. Data treatment was performed with descriptive statistics and multivariate analysis, specifically principal component analysis for numerical variables and multiple correspondence analysis for categorical variables. A SYAL was evident in the early stages of consolidation, with exceptional adaptations to the biophysical conditions in the territory. Finally, four groups of actors were identified, where the main discriminating variable was membership in an organization of farmers, a determining condition for business competitiveness in the territory.

<p>The analytical network process (ANP) was used to analyze the functionality of small farmers’ organizations; 12 experts were consulted to verify the relevance and assign value comparative judgments to the criteria´s of the internal, external and functional sets. Judgments were added through AIJ technique, after of synthesis weights of relative importance for the criteria’s were estimated. The results show that the criteria´s of the internal set are the ones that are most important for the functionality, highlighting the leadership and management capacity, together with the market environment and the achievement of the objectives proposed by the members.</p>

<p>El desarrollo planificado de la actividad turística requiere la coordinación en los territorios de actores públicos y privados; para ello las dinámicas relacionales resulta ser un elemento central a considerar. Usando el Análisis de Redes Sociales y profundizando por medio de los análisis de contenidos relacionales se identificaron los actores centrales y que podrían liderar los procesos para el logro de la gestión activa del turismo en el territorio. A partir de los hallazgos se proponen acciones para conformar un sistema de gobernanza ampliada para el turismo en el territorio.</p>