Agrifood systems are subject to a high rate of technological change. To implement innovations, entrepreneurs must design supply chains that accommodate the nature of the innovation and constraints in terms of resources, credit, and markets. The supply chain includes upstream agricultural production and downstream processing and marketing. This seminar will present a framework for the design of a supply chain that will determine levels of final outputs of different qualities, and the extent to which agricultural products will be produced within a vertically integrated firm (a plantation) through contracting with farmers or through markets. These decisions will determine prices to final consumers as well as farmers. The ways in which credit availability, risk considerations and political constraints affect the outcomes will be considered, with reference to case studies relating to biofuel, livestock and fresh fruits and vegetables. Finally, an analysis of how policy intervention can enhance the commercialization of innovation in a way that will improve the wellbeing of rural economies will be presented.