Applied Geography 21 (2001) 175–197 www.elsevier.com/locate/apgeog Technology innovation as a strategy for climate adaptation in agriculture John Smithers * , Alison Blay-Palmer Department of Geography, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario N1G 2W1, Canada Received 31 August 1999; received in revised form 10 July 2000; accepted 19 July 2000 Abstract Technological research and development are among the most frequently advocated strategies for adapting agriculture to possible future changes in climate. However, while many statements point to the reliance that is placed on technology, and to the power of induced innovation, the actual process of agricultural research and development has received little explicit consider- ation in the context of climatic constraints on food production. This paper offers both a descrip- tive assessment and empirical analysis of the place of technology research and development in climate adaptation research and planning. Insights into the assumed role of technology are developed through a review of the published literature and recent commentary. The role of technological innovation in the handling of climatic risks is then explored empirically in an analysis of innovation research and development in the Ontario soybean industry. This reveals an array of technological innovations that have helped Ontario soybean-growers manage cli- matic challenges to date, as well as a range of potential constraints on the innovation process itself.  2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. Keywords: Adaptation; Agricultural research; Climate change; Soybean cultivation; Technology inno- vation Introduction The prospect of a changing and increasingly uncertain climate is seen by some as a potentially serious challenge to the viability of farming systems and food pro- duction in North America and elsewhere (Rosenzweig & Parry, 1994; Bazzaz & * Corresponding author. Tel.: +1 519 824 4120; fax: +1 519 837 2940. E-mail address: jsmither@uoguelph.ca (J. Smithers). 0143-6228/01/$ - see front matter  2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved. PII:S0143-6228(01)00004-2