Innovation Trajectories and Sustainability in the Food System

Abstract

The goal of the study is to answer the question of whether the current processes of technological change and innovation within the agri-food system could help to increase its sustainability. Four strands of literature are used to unveil the nexus between sustainability and innovation: models of technical change and innovation, sustainability definitions, agroecology as a science and political movement, and the conceptualization of food regimes. The results indicate that innovation processes in the system follow two innovation trajectories, leading to two different food regimes, with opposite effects on sustainability. Since market forces push towards the less sustainable regime, adequate interventions are required in order to assure the sustainability of the system.

Sustainability Perception of Local Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Consumers’ Attitude: A New Italian Perspective

“…The union between technology, traditions, and heritage can not be only possible, but useful. It is also important to consider that, although integrated territorial paradigm presents several weak points [25], it is worth studying and increasing the consumers' interest for the sustainability of local food. Indeed, making the consumers more aware about the sustainability of local productions is very important for the success of this paradigm.…”

Potential Role of Technology Innovation in Transformation of Sustainable Food Systems: A Review

“…With the first canned food entering the market, the increased industrial agriculture, and the gradual demise of household farms in more advanced countries, agricultural marketing had also undergone major changes. At the beginning of the 20th century, animal power was slowly substituted by innovative fuel-based energy sources [43,44].…”

“…Simultaneously, there have been numerous technological advances in marketing and food processing, including introduction of innovative packaging forms, expansion of long-distance trade, emergence of new food retail systems, and ongoing urbanization process. The main and lasting technological change of the past century is called the Green Revolution, which was based on the use of new high-yielding wheat varieties and the widespread use of chemical fertilizers and insecticides [43]. The Green Revolution, considered by capital-intensive production processes, led to a significant increase in agricultural productivity.…”

“…The Green Revolution, considered by capital-intensive production processes, led to a significant increase in agricultural productivity. In the United States in 1860, one farm job could feed 4-5 people, and in 1957, this number became 22.8 people [43,45]. At the end of the past century, biotechnology brought major technological variations to the agricultural food sector, followed by nanotechnology and digital technology.…”

“…In reality, this involves creating relationships, dialogue, and faith in the pathway for improving food systems, maintaining governance and regulatory systems to preserve the expected effects of food systems, all necessary conditions for the implementation of modern technologies (Table 2). Emerging innovations benefiting from such improvements include insects for food, meat-generated animal alternatives, food system circularity, and vertical agriculture [11,43,50].…”