Technology and Innovation on Input Sectors of Brazilian Meat Production

This paper is an overview of the technological characteristics of meat input sectors. It focuses mainly on the genetic development, animal feed, and animal health. It points out some market economic aspects and technological characteristics in order to demonstrate that: a) these sectors are becoming progressively “science-based sectors” (a laPavitt); and, b) these sectors are more and more ancillary and dependent on more complex and transversal R&D and I, which are generated in the developed countries. This paper points out that, in general, Brazilian R&D and I actors not only have marginal influence in the innovation process of these sectors, but also little force to create autonomous technological “windows of opportunity”. In the long-run, these characteristics also may hamper the cumulative technological learning process and thus not ensure Brazilian competitiveness in the international meat markets.