Stakeholder Identification in Innovation Ecosystems: New Roles for Modern Agricultural Challenges

The agrifood sector faces numerous challenges that require a broad approach to understanding changes in rural agricultural systems. Rapid changes in society, economy, and politics make it essential to identify the key actors involved in innovation and knowledge sharing within the agrifood context. This paper aims to identify the types, roles, and evolving functions of the main stakeholders within innovation ecosystems in rural areas, to design actions that are better aligned with the real conditions of rural agricultural contexts and that enhance the social and cultural capital of these territories. A questionnaire was conducted to identify and map key stakeholders between April and June 2024. The results reveal the types of stakeholders and their roles in leading the rural innovation process and reorganising the innovation ecosystem. This study provides a novel contribution by going beyond the simple identification of stakeholders, emphasising instead their interactions within dynamic relational networks.