Farming technology transfer and validation from research institutions

Abstract

This article deals with a new scenario in the Brazilian agricultural innovation process and with the meaning of the terms “technology transfer” and “technological validation”. The former is frequently overlapped by the “technology diffusion” concept and the latter is mixed up with the “experimental replication” concept. These are core concepts in technological and innovation development planning and have prac-tical implications on matters like access to technological results from agricultural research institutes, technology development and adoption, on the sharing of technology development among stakeholders, technology autonomy, and on sustainable development. The main purpose of this article is to contribute to the creation of a theoretical framework to facilitate the organization of knowledge and practices with the purpose of involving a wide variety of social actors in the process of agricultural technology generation and access as an alternative to the prevailing technocratic and classic economic models. The reflections presented here support the need to review the technological and rural developmental models in the light of the technological autonomy viewpoint of those producing sustainable development.