Social Technology, agriculture and income generation:

effects of networks on the reapplication of innovative brazilian experiences

Abstract

Social Technologies (STs) represent effective mechanisms to overcome some limits of Conventional Technology and generate social and productive inclusion. Understanding how the articulation of actors on a network around a ST influences the potential of a technological diffusion to other places that are not those of its origin is, thus, fundamental to propagate the participatory local development. In this work, 45 Brazilian ST experiences implemented over the period 2000–2017 were mapped and, through the crossing of data obtained in the empirical analysis (macro ambit) and in the collection form with those responsible for two specific STs (micro ambit), the results went against common sense when indicating that having a hyperconnector that is coherent in relation to the community and interested in promoting the reapplication of ST is more important than the number of actors involved (network density), than the cost of implementation and that the presence of universities and/or city halls in the ST internal network. The median indicated that the number 10 appears to be a safe reference to maintain network density, high connectivity (hyperconnection) and potential for contagion without harming weak ties or encapsulating the network.