Dynamics of Eco-innovation in Emerging Economies: the Case of Green Food Production in Brazil

The growing awareness of the unsustainability of economic growth in the world brings up the necessity of adopting measures to make it more ecologically responsible and sustainable, i.e. more appropriate to social needs and environmental limits of the planet (SACHS, 1993; DALY, H., FARLEY, J., 2003). More recently, the rising environmental concerns are affecting economic activity so significantly that we are referring to a ‘green economy’ (ANDERSEN, 2010). In this paper, we review existing findings and try to present the scenario behind the theme contrasting Brazil with international trends, discuss data availability and formulate research questions and hypothesis. Key questions addressed in order to understand the emergence of the green food market and the industrial dynamics of green food production behind it in Brazil are: (i) Which type (size,
age) of companies are forwarding the green food agenda in Brazil? Particularly what is the role of the big international companies to induce eco-innovation in green food? (ii) To what degree is the green food agenda forwarded by Brazilian versus international companies? (iii) How does the organic chain work? More specifically, to what degree do we see upstream versus downstream green movements? A hypothesis is that Brazil, as the other BRICs rapidly emerging economies, may leapfrog the green economy and more quickly develop well-functioning green food markets as compared to the slow learning curves experienced in the green food market of the developed economies. The recent big crisis in the Brazilian economy and political system may, though, halt this development. On the other hand, the economic crisis may also foster green creativity and entrepreneurship.