Diffusion of Innovations in Organic Farming and Social Network Analysis: An Application Essay

The way in which innovations are disseminated over the territory is closely related to the configuration of the agricultural producer's networks around organizations. This research studies the relationship between information flows and personal networks in organic farming that directly or indirectly promote innovations in the sector. From a list of 28 innovations, grouped into four categories (Product, Process, Organization and Marketing), in-depth interviews are conducted with 11 actors related to organic farming in the provinces of Castellon and Valencia to analyze the innovation diffusion networks. With the qualitative data obtained from the interviews, the rates of adoption and speed of innovations, the networks of diffusion of innovations between producers and organizations in a sector in continuous development such as that of organic farming in the Valencian Community will be analyzed.