TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE SYSTEM OF INNOVATION: The case of plantation sector in Kerala

Abstract

Plantation sector in India, historically dominated by the large estates has been promoted intensively by the state given its significant contribution towards foreign exchange on the one hand its developmental role and livelihood of workers on the other. However, there has been a growing concern over the environmental implications of plantations sector on account of the deforestation, sedimentation in the reservoirs of hydroelectric projects, environmentally hostile cultural practices, waste generation in case of certain plantations and others. Hence economic sustainability of plantation sector is considered as inimical to environmental sustainability. At the same time, the changes in environment do adversely affect yield of plantation crops and therefore their economic viability. In this paper, drawing insight from the literature on innovation systems, we examined the evolving nature of interaction between economy, ecology, innovation and finds that the emerging trajectory appears to be one that promotes sustainability notwithstanding instances of institutional inertia within the sector towards evolving a sustainability oriented innovation system.