Transformative Innovation Learning History: Mexico

This learning history history explores how public policies and innovation‑related activities in Mexico have opened up new ways of thinking and acting in the socio‑technical system of the octopus fishery in the Yucatán Peninsula, particularly around the Mayan octopus fishery. It examines how sustainability pressures and community challenges have driven government interventions and grassroots initiatives that generate spaces for participation, discussion, learning and reflection, and how these have contributed to alternative narratives and potential changes in the dominant practices of the fishing system.

The study identifies a set of recent government interventions to support the sustainability of the fishery based on some Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) activities. It documents both top‑down and bottom‑up actions, including collaborative efforts between government agencies and fishing communities, that move beyond traditional innovation framing towards more inclusive and experimental approaches with transformative elements, such as integrating expert and traditional knowledge and fostering discussion about more sustainable socio‑technical pathways.