Austria 2025 – Innovation: the Engine for Growth and Employment in the Rural Economy

Innovation is the engine for growth and employment. This applies to all sectors of the economy, including agriculture. However, the level of knowledge about the innovation system in Austrian agriculture is relatively low. In order to remedy this shortcoming, this study examines two aspects in detail: In an international comparison of agricultural innovation systems, Austria lags behind countries such as the Netherlands or Switzerland in terms of important variables. Austria is lagging in research expenditure, the number of patents and scientific publications. According to a survey of agricultural enterprises in Austria, significant innovations were only implemented by a minority of farms. The study presents and discusses possibilities to increase the innovative capacity of farms in Austria's agriculture.