Browsing by Author "Mgumia, Athman H."
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Item 5.0 Building Innovation Networks in Dried Cassava Value Chain: Qualitative Evidence from Innovation Brokerage(2015) Mgumia, Athman H.; Mattee, Amon Z.; Kundi, Beatus A. T.Agricultural development in developing countries is challenged by weak innovation systems and lack of innovation capacities among key actors. Integration of agricultural innovation perspectives and value chain approach for development have made the interaction between a wide range of actors of innovation to become more complex demanding different sets of knowledge, environment and incentives. The traditional homogeneous intermediary layer of agricultural extension appeared to be ineffective to this situation. As a result the majority of smallholder farmers are facing exclusion from participating in supplying the long value chains. In countries characterized by mature innovation systems, a specialized innovation-brokering role emerged as an alternative to deal with innovation challenges in agricultural sectors (market and system failures). This study, using a case study approach, intended to offer empirical evidence of the roles of innovation brokerage implemented on cassava value chain by NGOs in the setting of developed countries and where the innovation brokerage is not recognized by the agricultural knowledge infrastructure (R&D institutions and extension services). Important outcome of this analysis was that innovation brokerage roles were crucial in agricultural innovation as it is beyond the capacity of R&D extension service. Hence, the Ministry of Agriculture Food Security and Cooperative and other relevant stakeholders should recognize the innovation brokerage roles and establish an institutional framework for its functioning within the agricultural knowledge infrastructure.Item The Application of the Agricultural Innovation System Approach in Technology Development in Tanzania: Researchers' Perceptions and Practices(Taylor & Francis, 2015) Mgumia, Athman H.; Mattee, Amon Z.; Kundi, Beatus A. T.This paper examines the perceptions of researchers towards features of the innovation system approach. It also examines the extent of incorporation of these features into Tanzania's existing National Agricultural Research System (NARS). Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected from 100 purposefully selected researchers from 13 public and three private research institutes, and one university. Most (81%) of the researchers perceive end-users (farmers) as an important actor. Other actors such as intermediary organisations (extension), regulatory bodies and entrepreneurs are perceived as important by half (50%) of the researchers. On the other hand, most of the researchers perceive the roles of these actors to be similar to the traditional roles of actors under NARS. The indicators used in measuring the success of agricultural innovation were mainly associated with the pattern of adoption and productivity potential of technologies, suggesting that a linear model of innovation is still dominant in NARS. We conclude that the mode of agricultural innovation under NARS in Tanzania is in transition from a linear to a system model of innovation. The study suggested that policies should be redesigned to include wider participation of stakeholders in agricultural innovation; the mandate and capacity of extension services should be expanded to include facilitation of innovation; and indicators of monitoring and evaluation should be all-inclusive to include technical and social changes.Item Characteristics of Agriculture Technology and Application of an Agricultural Innovation System in Tanzania(Taylor & Francis, 2015) Mgumia, Athman H.; Mattee, Amon Z.; Kundi, Beatus A. T.The globalisation of the world economy and advancements in science, including the use of biotechnology for agricultural production has subjected agricultural technologies to market forces for their generation and dissemination. It is evident, however, that while some technologies are more amenable to commercialisation, there are other technologies that may still need strong participation of public institutions for their generation and dissemination. This study analysed a total of 87 agricultural technologies in crop, food, and soil thematic areas with respect to the extent of incorporation of innovation systems in the process of technology development, multiplication and commercialisation. Each of the technologies was assessed in terms of its characteristics, actors involved and their roles at each stage of innovation. The study found that the economic features and multiple dimensional characteristics of agricultural technologies determine actors involved in the development and dissemination of the technologies through commercialisation. While 40% of the technologies were commercialised by business enterprises, 60% needed intermediation interventions. Features of agricultural innovation system have been incorporated particularly under ‘projects’ implemented by R&D or NGOs, which is an indication that the coverage and sustainability is subjective. Thus, government interventions in promoting agricultural innovations should focus on both operations and policy issues for effective incorporation of innovation system.Item Contribution of Innovation Intermediaries in Agricultural Innovation: The Case of Agricultural R&D in Tanzania(Taylor & Francis, 2015) Mgumia, Athman H.; Mattee, Amon Z.; Kundi, Beatus A. T.With the current global economic reforms and advances in science, the move has been towards privatisation of the agricultural knowledge infrastructure. However, inadequate capacity of agricultural entrepreneurs and the diversity in the characteristics of the agricultural technologies have created market and system failures, resulting in imbalances of the supply and demand of technologies and hampering private agricultural business development. Experience from countries with mature innovation systems indicates the emergence of innovation intermediaries that facilitate agricultural entrepreneurs to innovate. Using a case-study approach, the present study identified and mapped the recipients of technologies from agricultural research institutions in Tanzania and analysed the extent to which ‘innovation intermediation roles’ have been applied by recipients in relation to demand articulation, network brokerage and innovation process management. Through an in-depth analysis of twelve cases, the study revealed the role of innovation intermediation performed by NGOs and R&D as project interventions not as their core activities. The study demonstrates the potential contributions of innovation intermediaries in agricultural innovation processes and recommends official recognition and government support in the establishment and implementation of innovation intermediation activities outside the project set-ups.