There are many challenges related to environmental sustainability, social inclusion, globalisation and technological changes that are driving Brazilian organisations towards more dynamic modes of operation. Many government programmes are currently dedicated to improving infrastructure, research and development (R&D) strategies, communication and technology transfer in line with today´s realities and challenges. Embrapa, the Brazilian agricultural research organisation has been pursuing new ways to deal with these challenges for more than three decades. A semi-autonomous federal agency administered by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Supply, Embrapa is the largest agricultural R&D organisation in Latin America and a world leader in development of innovations for tropical agriculture. Embrapa is consolidating a management strategy designed to integrate and align its efforts in R&D, communication and technology transfer towards effective delivery of innovations to farmers and the Brazilian society. Embrapa is also developing new ways to share technologies developed for tropical agriculture with countries in Africa and Latin America. While this system is still evolving, it has helped Embrapa to move in the direction of more co-operative efforts, expanding its networking capabilities, and intensifying its efforts towards agricultural innovation in closer interaction with its stakeholders and with society as a whole.