As defined by the Oslo Manual (OECD/Eurostat, 2018), innovation is a broad concept. It is more than research and development (R&D) and encompasses both the creation and adoption of innovation, which can be “new to the firm, new to the market or new to the world”. At farm level, many innovations are “process innovations” as they relate to production techniques, e.g. the adoption of improved seeds or irrigation systems. The downstream industry generates product innovation, such as food with new functional (health) attributes, or non-food products from agriculture for the chemical or pharmaceutical industry (bioeconomy). All along the supply chain, marketing and organisational innovations are increasingly important.

Reviewed countries display a wide diversity of size, geographical location, natural conditions and economic situation. They cover all continents except Africa, and represent a variety of OECD, EU and G20 countries ().

Each note refers to the national assessment and recommendation at the time each country review was published (year indicated on the top of each country note). Efforts undertaken since the review publication are not accounted for.