Innovation and Technology Transfer in Agriculture: Concluding Comments

Abstract

The authors in this book have described and analyzed a complex, dynamic system of agricultural innovation and technology transfer that has produced food in unprecedented quantity and quality, enhancing economic and food security worldwide. The agricultural innovation system has been in a near constant state of flux as fundamental technical discoveries, institutional adjustments, and increasing public and private investments have fueled the ongoing transformation. If societies are to meet the challenges of the future and promote both food security and environmental sustainability, they will need to adopt long-term approaches to building and maintaining innovation systems that can nurture innovations from original concept through development to the end user. Given the changes that we have seen and the further change that the future likely holds, research into the effective transformation of agriscience into agribusiness will continue to be important for many years to come.