Experimentalist Governance in Bioeconomy: Insights from the Brazilian Amazon

Objective: understand whether subnational processes to develop bioeconomy policy are integrated with local implementation efforts in the state of Amazonas. Theoretical framework: experimentalist governance. Methods: deductive content analysis was conducted in three phases: open and axial coding and integration of theory. Results: a nascent system of experimentalist governance to foment bioeconomy is taking shape. However, the potential for experimentalism to improve policy reforms is far from realized due to policy coordination problems, incipient collective action among actors, and the absence of incentives to promote experimentation and systematic learning from local experiences. The quintuple helix innovation model is a promising approach to engage different actors in the design and implementation of bioeconomy experiments, where the state actor assumes central coordination and local actors implement. Political will and longterm strategy based on metrics and a system for review are essential. Conclusion: the experimentalist problem-solving approach could have a significant impact in the Amazonian bioeconomy by demonstrating and replicating the successful initiatives to generate useful local policy experiments, learning, and promoting socioeconomic opportunities with environmental conservation. Policy experimentation can be a new viable alternative to move state and non-state actors from conflict based on divergent economic interests to a cooperative means to promote socioeconomic development by demonstrating and escalating success cases that can foster policies and opportunities.