Proximities and the role of relational networks in innovation: The case of the dairy industry in two villages of the “green municipality” of Paragominas in the Eastern Amazon
Résumé
In this paper, we seek to identify the dynamics of change and innovation at work in the agricultural sector of the Brazilian Amazon region, which operate in a context of environmental and technical pressure. We search for understanding how different innovative practices are implemented and how hybrid practices can develop through relationships between local actors who belong to different worlds. Our study focuses more specifically on dairy production in the Paragominas municipality, whose “green municipality” programme has led to an intensification of agricultural production and a significant reduction in deforestation, and where different forms of agriculture coexist. The dynamics of interaction are explored through an analysis of social networks, in which we examine, from empirical data, the structure of networks that facilitate interactions. Through an analysis of proximity relationships, we perform a detailed study of the spatial and non‐spatial determinants of these interactions. The paper first presents the study sites and analysis methods, then we provide a description of our results concerning innovation models, stakeholder networks and proximity relations.