Abstract

The predominant economic activities in rural territories are agriculture, tourism, and ecosystem services, with agriculture being the predominant one. The agricultural sector faces several critics regarding its sustainability and structural difficulties for innovation. Yet, some innovations in line with bioeconomy and the use of digital technologies in agriculture have potential to reconcile economic and environmental goals. Therefore, this research aims to determine the contribution of innovations in the agricultural sector to the sustainable transformation of rural territories in Costa Rica. This is achieved using a case study methodology, covering cases representative of more than 95% of the agriculture production of the country. Finding that these trends of innovation can foster the sustainability of the sector and rural territories while improving economic outcomes; that the biggest impact of these innovations is when the two trends, digital technologies and bioeconomy, are combined; and that the forms of governance play a paramount role in the democratization of innovation, especially for medium and small-sized producers, and in their diffusion within the territory.

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