The unexpected profile of agricultural innovators: evidence from an empirical study

Abstract

Innovation capacity is essential for farmers to remain competitive and overcome the challenges facing Mediterranean agricultural systems. Based on an extensive empirical study, this paper elucidates the common attributes of innovative farmers in the Region of Valencia (Spain). The model presented in this study investigates whether an innovative attitude can be explained by market-entrepreneurial orientation, learning orientation, individual profile traits and farm size. The findings provide insights into how age and experience affect innovation in agricultural smallholdings. The study shows that the most innovative farmers run large farms and have a strong market-entrepreneurial orientation. Farm size and learning orientation are key requirements to enhance the innovative attitude of farmers.

Inter-organizational relationships in agri-food sector: a bibliometric review and future directions

“…The agri-food organizations have a high impact on economic and social change in territorial proximity (Garcia-Alvarez-Coque et al. , 2015; Yagüe-Perales et al. , 2020), facing very complex challenges such as environmental changes, globalization, traceability of food products, new trends in the consumers' lifestyle and in animal treatment (Hamlin, 2016; Sharif and Irani, 2016; Saitone and Sexton, 2017).…”

“…The agri-food organizations have a high impact on economic and social change in territorial proximity (Garcia-Alvarez-Coque et al, 2015;Yag€ ue-Perales et al, 2020), facing very complex challenges such as environmental changes, globalization, traceability of food products, new trends in the consumers' lifestyle and in animal treatment (Hamlin, 2016;Sharif and Irani, 2016;Saitone and Sexton, 2017). In this context, there has been a growing interest that has widened the debate on knowledge management (KM) in agri-food organizations (Dania et al, 2018) as a key-factor in value creation (Lin, 2007;Omotayo, 2015).…”

Innovation in Irrigated Fields in a Semi-arid Region: Southeastern Spain Case

“…Innovation is a key issue addressing competitiveness and is strongly related to a high market-entrepreneurial orientation (Yagüe-Perales, Pérez-Ledo and March-Chorda 2020). This is especially of concern within a semi-arid region, where struggle for availability of water has been a constant (Jeder, Dbouba and Fouzai 2020; Mahdhi et al 2021).…”

El factor innovador en la agricultura de la Comunidad Valenciana (España). Factores que impulsan la innovación agraria / / / \ \ \ The innovative factor in agriculture in the Valencian Community (Spain). Factors driving agricultural innovation

“…La innovación se ha convertido en una pieza clave para generar valor de una manera más eficaz y eficiente a la hora de satisfacer las nuevas exigencias sociales y medioambientales en un mundo en constante transformación (Yagüe-Perales et al, 2020;De la Fuente Cabrero et al, 2014;Vercher et al, 2020;Mesa y Esparcia, 2021). Como el resto de los sectores, el sector agroalimentario, inmerso en un escenario que cambia con rapidez, ha tenido que enfrentarse a sus propios retos.…”