Social innovation and sustainable development in rural and indigenous communities: experiences from the agrarian sector

Authors

Oscar Aguilar-Juárez
Centro de Investigación y Asistencia en Tecnología y Diseño del Estado de Jalisco, A.C.,Guadalajara, Jalisco, México
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7286-0902
Alba Lucía Moreno-Ortiz
Sistema Nacional de Investigadoras e Investigadores (SNII), Secretaría de Ciencia, Humanidades, Tecnologías e Innovación (SECIHTI), México
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9319-075X
José Alfredo Medina-Meléndez
Universidad Aut´ónoma de Chiapas, Chiapas,México.
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8666-0821
Carlos Omar Aguilar-Navarro
Centro de Investigación y Asistencia en Tecnología y Diseño del Estado de Jalisco, A.C.,Guadalajara, Jalisco, México
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9881-0236

Keywords:

social innovation, sustainable development, rural communities, indigenous communities, experiences, agrarian sector

Synopsis

The book Social Innovation and Sustainable Development in Rural and Indigenous Communities: Experiences from the Agrarian Sector, coordinated by Alba Lucía Moreno-Ortiz, Oscar Aguilar-Juárez, José Alfredo Medina-Meléndez, and Carlos Omar Aguilar-Navarro, offers a critical and transdisciplinary perspective on the challenges and opportunities of sustainable development in rural and Indigenous communities in Mexico. The work aligns with the guidelines of the Secretariat of Science, Humanities, Technology and Innovation (SECIHTI), promoting the articulation of scientific, social, and technological capacities at the national level.

Divided into three thematic sections—coffee and rural areas, environmental accounting and finance, and community experiences—the book documents diagnoses, methodologies, and strategic proposals to enhance productivity and sustainability in the agrarian sector. A notable example is the chapter on coffee cultivation in Chiapas, which applies tools such as multivariate analysis and technical-productive diagnostics to propose comprehensive improvements: renewal of coffee plantations, sustainable management, technical training, use of appropriate technologies, and the preservation of traditional knowledge.

The work emphasizes social innovation as a transformative axis, fostering interculturality, equity, and community resilience. It also proposes organizational models and public policies to strengthen rural value chains. As a whole, it constitutes a valuable contribution for researchers, policymakers, and communities interested in the sustainability of rural areas.

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Author Biographies

Oscar Aguilar-Juárez, Centro de Investigación y Asistencia en Tecnología y Diseño del Estado de Jalisco, A.C.,Guadalajara, Jalisco, México

Research Professor at the Centro de Investigación y Asistencia en Tecnología y Diseño del Estado de Jalisco, A.C.,Guadalajara, Jalisco, México

Alba Lucía Moreno-Ortiz, Sistema Nacional de Investigadoras e Investigadores (SNII), Secretaría de Ciencia, Humanidades, Tecnologías e Innovación (SECIHTI), México

Member of the National System of Researchers (SNII) 2024–2027, Candidate Level.
Postdoctoral Fellow in the CONAHCYT Program (Social Impact) at CIATEJ.

Holds a Ph.D. in Accounting and Finance from the University of Zaragoza, Spain, and a Ph.D. in Administrative Sciences from the University of Guadalajara, Mexico.
Earned a Master’s degree in Administration with a focus on Finance from the Western Institute of Technology and Higher Education (ITESO).
Holds Bachelor’s degrees in Law and in Business Administration.

Has participated in several projects under Mexico’s National Strategic Programs (Pronaces) promoted by the National Council of Humanities, Science, and Technology (CONAHCYT), contributing with field research, and social and economic analyses in target study areas.

Extensive fieldwork experience in rural and vulnerable communities across Mexico, as well as collaboration with government institutions, the private sector, academia, research centers, and experts in financial and social fields.

Active researcher in field studies with coffee grower associations and peasant and Indigenous producers (Chiapas, Jalisco), universities (Mexico, Colombia, Cuba, and Spain), and research centers (CIATEJ).

Authored peer-reviewed scientific articles addressing social problems, published in indexed journals listed in Web of Science, Dialnet, and the Social Science Research Network (SSRN).
Contributed book chapters of academic and public outreach interest, focusing on current topics, methodological tools, and financial, social, and economic analysis; all books are registered with International Standard Book Numbers (ISBNs).

Has presented at national and international conferences, addressing social, financial, and economic issues in both the public and private sectors, as well as in vulnerable rural and urban areas that demand scientific attention and knowledge-based solutions.

Has delivered seminars to postgraduate students, academic communities, and the public through webinars of general interest.
Experienced teacher at undergraduate level in economics and administrative sciences, as well as at high school and secondary school levels (courses in social sciences, Spanish, academic reinforcement, and administrative areas).
Also served as a Spanish language instructor for foreign students.
Experienced in both in-person and online teaching.

Professional background in administration, auditing, strategic planning, financial analysis, costs, inventory management, human resources, and overall business management.

José Alfredo Medina-Meléndez, Universidad Aut´ónoma de Chiapas, Chiapas,México.

Research Professor at the Universidad Aut´ónoma de Chiapas, Chiapas,México.

Carlos Omar Aguilar-Navarro, Centro de Investigación y Asistencia en Tecnología y Diseño del Estado de Jalisco, A.C.,Guadalajara, Jalisco, México

Originally from Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. He has a degree in law, with a specialty in Intellectual property, from the University of Panamericana, Mexico. Master in business and law. Mexico. PhD in constitutional rights (UdeG) y PhD in bussiness and Law.
Researcher at the Inter-Regional Technological Prospecting Laboratory for the Innovative Development of Food and Feeding (PROTEAA) of CIATEJ-CONACYT in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. Research lines: Human Rights in Bioculture and Industrial Property, with emphasis on agriculture and food, as well as science and technology studies for society.

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Social innovation and sustainable development in rural and indigenous communities: experiences from the agrarian sector

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Published

June 30, 2025

Details about this monograph

ISBN-13 (15)

978-607-26875-4-7