For an Innovation South Helena M M Lastres Office for local production and innovation systems and regional development International Seminar on Innovation and Development under Globalization: BRICS Experience Trivandrum, August 2009

Main Challenge for an Innovative South Cognitive Injustice Knowledge relates directly to the cognition capacity Predominance of knowledge originated in the most advanced countries of the North - contexts very different from ours –‘The predominant scientific logic denies all forms of knowledge that are not oriented by its epistemology and methodological rules’ while also contributing to prevent the creation of knowledge based in the reality of LDCs (Souza Santos, 1987 and 2003) – quotations? –Ignorance, exotization and discard of indigenous knowledge and practices

Main Challenge for an Innovative South Cognitive Injustice Consequences of the use of de-contextualized concepts, models and indicators and their policy implications –Decoupling between the needs of local environments and the priorities given to social, scientific, technological, innovation, economic, financial, political and environmental development Alerts to the use of concepts embodying ex-ante political choices which by definition exclude social and economic segments as well as regions from the policy agenda ‘Invisible exclusion’

Main Challenge for an Innovative South Cognitive Injustice E.g. The mapping of innovation and local innovation and production systems (LIPSs) has only revealed the existence of cases in the most advanced parts of Brazil. The less structured cases and with high levels of informality - that may also require both research attention and policy support - were left aside Their ‘invisibility’ has prevented their inclusion in the police agenda Concepts and parameters used in this mapping embodied an ex-ante economicist choice and their support has contributed to reinforce inequalities Picking the winners policies X non recognition problems

Opportunities for an Innovative South New regulatory, production, innovation, financing and accumulation regime capable of responding to the social and environmental requirements of the III millennium New development mode Changes in the geopolitical scenario Increasing participation of less developed countries (LDCs) in the world economy –Greater interest in development and in solving imbalance problems LDCs with large domestic markets have been less affected by the international crisis

Main Opportunities for an Innovative South BRICSs: –Domestic markets with huge potential –Participation in international trade –Expressive reserves and greater liquidity A situation never seen before: BRICSs and other LDCs may contribute to alleviating the crisis and also to pointing out new development alternatives The concept of development has changed and now it stresses out variety and liberty, as opposed to the pursuit for homogenization

Table 1: Variation in the gross domestic product (GDP) in selected countries **2009 e 2010: forecast Source: International Monetary Fund

Figure 1: Contribution of countries in the world GDP according to their development level * Forecast Source: International Monetary Fund

Main Lessons for an Innovative South Cognitive Injustice Recognition that ‘the best practice may be the absence of a best practice’ (Rao, 2006) The aim of dialoging with the North should no monopolize and restrict Southern efforts to create and develop proper concepts, methodologies and indicators Importance of recognizing and adding to - instead of ignoring and replacing - the tacit knowledge accumulated by local actors about their environments Relevance of mobilizing the participation and protagonism of local actors in the design and implementation of the policies 9

Main Steps towards an Innovative South Need to develop news forms of knowledge anchored in the reality of BRICSs and other Southern countries –emphasis on the complexity of their production, innovation and ecosystems, biodiversity and social communities - including those pluriethnical and multicultural - and their own forms of interaction with nature and culture. Tropical regions analytical and normative frameworks capable of –taking into account BRICSs’ contexts, geopolitics and power conflicts, as well as their intrinsic opportunities –capturing the full specificities of BRICSs’ and other Southern production and innovation systems 10

Main Steps towards an Innovative South Need to promote development associating political, economic, environmental and social dimension policies that help to diminish social and regional inequalities sustainable and dynamic competitiveness, investing in education, up-grading of local capabilities and social capital importance of promoting coherence and co-ordination instead of allowing for fragmentation and perverse dispute between Southern regions and countries 11

Main Steps towards an Innovative South Need to develop new and adequate knowledge intensive development policies capable of devising and exploring our best opportunities with a long term perspective E.g. Prospects for a ‘green’ or a ‘life science paradigm’ and a ‘bio-civilization’ emphasize advantages of regions possessing natural resources, biodiversity, appropriate knowledge and multicultural societies 12

Conclusion Forging an Innovative South would depend on our capacity of overcoming cognitive injustice and invisible exclusion developing our own analytical and normative concepts, indicators and models straightening and deepening South-South cooperation links devising and making use of opportunities in a inclusive, cohesive and sustained development manner 13

Thank you very much Helena Maria Martins Lastres