Innovations Systems in Renewable Natural Resource Management and Sustainable Agriculture

Innovation systems approach to renewable natural resource management and sustainable agriculture has been recognized as a new conceptual tool. However, there is a lack of systematic review of literature in this emerging field of inquiry. This review of over 100 relevant contributions concludes that there have been two major paradigm shifts in agricultural science, technology, innovation and development – from transfer of technology approach to various research and extension systems, and then to innovation systems. Innovation systems in agriculture have two major theoretical foundations – innovation systems in manufacturing, and various systems approaches in agriculture. The review revealed that it is imperative to establish a new generation of innovation systems research in renewable natural resources that integrates three apparently distinct fields of studies – environmental management, international development and innovation studies.