Biotechnologies for inclusive development: learnings on knowledge production,innovation and public policies

GABRIELA BORTZ; HERNÁN THOMAS

Havana

Congreso; 13th GLOBELICS INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE; 2015

Ministerio de Educación Superior de la República de Cuba

How can local Science, Technology and Innovation capacities be oriented in large¬scale solutions to solve social exclusion problems? How can be academic agendas and local agendas compatibilized towards stimulating scientific participation and ?at the same time¬ generating locally useful knowledge? Is it possible to empower different groups of actors in innovation processes in large scale knowledge¬intensive technologies? How can (bio¬) technologies for inclusive development developed in public R&D units be articulated with wider (social, health, productive) policies? This paper aims to address these current challenges within the Innovation for Inclusive Development literature, exploring the way in which local scientific and technological capabilities in biotechnology are integrated into solving social pressing issues. To this end, the paper analyzes strategies of knowledge production, technological development, learning and innovation that can be deployed through the study of a biotechnology¬based food supplement developed in Argentina, designed to prevent prevalent diseases in pediatric populations with nutritional deficits. With the purpose to obtain inputs for STI policies and management for inclusive development, this paper examines how a knowledge intensive technology can go beyond solving a specific problem (i.e. malnutrition related diseases) to become the dynamic hub of a strategy of social and productive local development, through adding value to a supply chain and strengthening small and medium producers. In particular, the text considers three levels of learning processes: a) scientific, b) techno¬productive, and c) socio¬organizational developed through problem¬solving dynamics. The paper argues, first, that the regard of the ?cognitive intensity? of a (bio¬) technology for inclusive development should not limited by its R&D based character. Instead, and more broadly, technology ?working? depends on the incorporation of heterogeneous forms of knowledge and expertise that ?symmetrically¬ shape its design and help building the adequacy of the technology to a situated socio¬historical context. Second, it is held that including a technoproductive rationality in the conception of the device, results in its scaling up not as a result, but as a key element that brings and viability and sustainability. And third, it is showed how the recognition of the need of involving diverse sources of expertise within the conception of the technology, may lead, even in large¬scaled experiences, to propound new participative management and decision¬making schemes that may institutionalize learning by doing processes and user¬producer communication channels, that may also lead to their active empowerment into deepening local development dynamics.