Nowadays, agro-firms are confronted with competition from global suppliers in both domestic and export markets. Such competition in sustainable agro-operations is expected to intensify. The survival of these firms in developing countries urgently requires a significant transformation to be competitive. This paper discusses the rationale of adopting a national innovation (NI) approach from an industry-wide perspective. In order to attain sustainable agro-operations in developing countries, the approach stresses appropriate scientific and technological applications and effective linkages of technology transfer via the network between public and private institutions, universities and other research institutions. Central to this approach is the development of the agro-industrial sector whereby agri-chains are formed. An illustrated case of the NI approach is presented with respect to a small island developing state, the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.