Difusión de innovaciones y redes sociales en la agriculturaAnálisis de tendencias en la Comunidad Valenciana y Reino Unido

Resumen

This doctoral thesis is structured around three main study themes. The first theme (Article 1) focuses on the bibliometric analysis of the diffusion of innovations in agriculture. The goal is to gain a comprehensive understanding of the research trends in this area, providing a solid foundation for practical applications. The second theme (Articles 2, 4, and 5) revolves around the analysis of adoption and diffusion processes of innovations in sustainable agriculture. This includes two studies conducted in the Valencian Community (Articles 2 and 5) and another study conducted in the United Kingdom (Article 4). The objectives of this theme are twofold. Firstly, to analyze the innovative profile of the actors interviewed, measuring the rates and speed of innovation adoption. Secondly, to examine the networks influencing the adoption of agricultural innovations through social network analysis, including actors and other groups like entities or sources of information. The third theme (Article 3) centers on analyzing the impact of COVID-19 confinement on both consumers and agricultural producers. For consumers, the analysis encompasses changes in demand during the confinement period, such as shifts in prices, purchase volume, and changes in fresh fruit and vegetable selling establishments. For Valencian agricultural producers, the impact on mobility, production, sales, and institutional support is examined. The bibliometric analysis (Article 1) provides a solid framework for studying the adoption and diffusion processes of innovations across various academic disciplines. The analysis of diffusion and adoption processes in sustainable agriculture (Articles 2, 4, and 5) yields insights into the usability of the method and reveals trends in innovation adoption (e.g., more economic innovations being adopted). The study also highlights the significance of agricultural support and advisory services in the relational environment, as well as the importance of close ties (family and friends) as sources of knowledge. Regarding the impact of COVID-19 confinement, the study finds that it led to changes in consumer purchasing habits, with an increased preference for online shopping. On the other hand, the impact was positive for producers with established pre-crisis structures, while emerging producers experienced negative effects