African Journal of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development

African Journal of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development Vol. 2 (5), pp. 147-154, August, 2014. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Gender and social capital in technological innovation in smallholder systems of sheep production in the state of Michoacán, México

¹Mauricio Perea Peña, ²Angélica Espinoza Ortega, ³Ernesto Sánchez Vera and ⁴Encarnación Ernesto Bobadilla soto.

^1,4Institute of Agricultural and Forestry Research, "University of Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Mexico.

^2,3Institute of Agricultural Sciences and Rural, Autonomous University of the State of Mexico, Mexico.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]. Tel: 443 2958323

Accepted 05 May, 2014

Abstract

Science and technology are important for countries’ development, however in order for smallholder (campesino) producers to make use of knowledge, it is necessary to understand social capital and the influence of gender on technological innovation in agricultural systems. This article contributes to an understanding of agricultural technological innovation, using smallholder systems of sheep production in Michoacan, Mexico as a case study. It is an initial theoretical-practical attempt to determine the influence of social capital on innovation. Furthermore, it facilitates understanding how these processes directly affect technological change and lifestyles in smallholder production systems. The capital has an important role in the processes of technology transfer and innovation within systems, social networks, are the aspects that favor further the adoption of innovations through information flows between actors network. Understanding the various factors that influence the transfer of technology and can serve as a basis for the establishment of public policies for the rural agricultural population.

Key words: Social capital, agricultural technology innovation, smallholder systems of sheep production, gender, social capital.