Agricultural cooperatives and inter-cooperation as vectors for technology transfer in dairy farms: an absorptive capacity perspective

Abstract

This article analyzes and seeks to understand the growing complexity of dairy farming production systems, which has intensified the demand for technologies capable of boosting farm efficiency and competitiveness. In this context, agricultural cooperatives and inter-cooperation play a strategic role in disseminating knowledge and promoting innovation in rural areas. However, understanding these processes still requires integrative analytical approaches that link technology transfer mechanisms with the internal capabilities of producers. Thus, this study aims to analyze how agricultural cooperatives and inter-cooperation act as vectors for technology transfer on dairy farms, viewed through the lens of Absorptive Capacity. The research is a theoretical-analytical study based on a structured review of scientific literature, drawing on 205 articles selected from national and international databases. The qualitative, interpretive analysis identified relationships between organizational structures, knowledge flows, and technological internalization processes. The main result is a proposed integrative theoretical model linking agricultural cooperatives, inter-cooperation, and absorptive capacity, highlighting that innovation on dairy farms depends on the interaction between access to knowledge, its circulation, and its internalization. Research findings indicate that inter-cooperation expands the reach and quality of technology transfer processes, while absorptive capacity determines their effective assimilation and application. The study concludes that innovation in dairy farming must be understood as a systemic process in which collective structures and individual capabilities complement each other. The proposed model offers a significant theoretical contribution by providing an analytical framework to support empirical studies and rural development strategies.