Factors affecting interactions between different key actors in improved rice varieties innovation system in the Eastern Zone of Tanzania

This study examines factors affecting the interactions between different key actors in the innovation system of improved rice varieties in the Eastern Zone of Tanzania. A parallel mixed design was used to collect the data from a sample of 340 randomly selected rice farming households and 34 purposively selected key informants from actor groups involved in rice innovations. Information was collected using structured and semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, and documentary review. Factors affecting interactions between farmers and other key actors were analyzed using a binary logistic model and chi-square test, meanwhile, content analysis was used to analyze the qualitative data. The findings show that household income, farming systems, leadership, innovation platforms, coordination bodies, trust, human and financial resources, ICT facilities, and transportation means were the factors that affected interactions between different actors in the system. Equally, limited financial resources were reported to have affected every actor group’s ability to interact in the system, thus significantly constraining the implementation of linkage activities designed to facilitate actors’ interactions along the improved rice varieties value chain. This study speaks to policymakers on formulating strategies for financial resource mobilization that will strengthen availability and accessibility of finance by actors and enable the implementation of linkage activities (e.g., innovation platform establishment, enhancement of ICT facilities, and improvement of transport means, among others) which, in turn, will strengthen actors’ interactions in the system and improve rice production.