O desenvolvimento de um sistema setorial de inovação: a produção de azeite de oliva no Rio Grande do Sul

Abstract

By introducing higher added value activities to agribusiness, such as the development of the olive oil producing sector in the Rio Grande do Sul agro-industry, the competitiveness of this activity for the State's economy is broadened, which has no tradition in production of olive oil. This possibility is a relatively recent finding, successfully resumed in 2003, with the cultivation of olive trees in Caçapava do Sul/RS, according to EMATER/RS-Ascar (2015), and has been considered an example of aggregation of value and innovation for agribusiness in RS. The theme addressed in this study refers to the development of the sectorial system of innovation of olive oil in Rio Grande do Sul. The general objective of the present work is to analyze what are and how behave the elements and actors that explain the development of this system in RS. The research's justification lies in applying a systemic perspective to the process of developing a productive sector with high added value in the RS agribusiness. The theoretical section of Sectorial System of Innovation (SSI) allows the understanding of elements that go beyond the firm and its market structure. To support the results and analyzes, it was sought theoretical basis in subjects such as innovation, sectorial system of innovation (SSI), innovation in the agro-food sector and olive oil. The methodological procedures used for this study were characterized as exploratory and descriptive, using methods such as bibliographic research, documentary research and field research. The qualitative approach was used to answer the research problem. Data collection took the form of field research, through interviews with different SSI actors, and through documentary research. Between August and October 2017, twenty-one (21) actors from the olive oil sector were interviewed. Through these interviews it was possible to verify that the sectorial system of innovation (SSI) of olive oil in RS has been more vigorous recently and is still under development. The climate and the soil, olive tree management conditions, fruit sanitation, early harvesting, the conditions and the time of transportation of the olives to the winery and the care in the olive oil processing are differentials that guarantee quality to the gaúcho olive oil, proven in guides and international competitions. Besides these elements, the exchange of experiences and the technological knowledge flows of the actors were also and are fundamental for the development of this SSI. In general, olive oil producers in RS do not depend exclusively on olive cultivation, do not make bank financing to purchase the olive grove, nor to maintain it, and do not hire insurance from the olive grove. Thus, it is understood that SSI of Olive Oil in RS is under development, with the presence of diverse actors that have different functions, with heterogeneous firms in size and in possibilities of production and innovation. Analyzing this SSI is a way of reporting the development of a segment of a added value product in the RS agribusiness, and can be considered a relevant experience to analyze the potential of the gaúcho agribusiness to add more value to its final products.