Creating agricultural innovation and value chains
- Jan 1, 2026
- 3 min read
Updated: Mar 2
Dr Ndosi has completed data collection in both research study areas, the Mara and Katavi Regions. Following fieldwork, she has been engaged in data cleaning and entry, preparing the datasets for analysis. Concurrently, she has initiated an extensive literature review to support the development of research papers aligned with the study objectives. These activities provide a solid foundation for the project's subsequent analytical phase.
Overall, the project is progressing very well and remains on schedule. With data collection completed, Dr Ndosi is finalising the datasets and preparing to commence data analysis for all six research objectives. The momentum achieved thus far positions the project to deliver the expected outputs within the planned timelines. Although the project remains on track, several challenges were encountered during fieldwork. Data collection was disrupted by a sudden lockdown caused by political instability in one of the study areas. As a result, the research team was unable to conduct fieldwork for seven consecutive days while confined to a remote location.
Due to the lockdown and the resulting interruption in field activities, enumerators were retained for an additional seven days to ensure the targeted sample size was achieved. This extended engagement was necessary to maintain data quality and representativeness. Upon resuming movement after the lockdown, the research team implemented an accelerated data-collection approach. This included administering questionnaires directly to respondents to recover lost time and ensure a timely transition to the following districts and remaining study areas. Despite these challenges, mitigation strategies were effective, and all data collection activities were completed as planned.
Stakeholders:
Women farmers are the primary respondents and beneficiaries in the study. They provide firsthand insights into farming practices, gender dynamics, access to resources, climate-related challenges, and their participation in agricultural innovation and value chains.
The Government Officials involved include District Commissioners, District Agriculture Officers, Extension Supervisors, and Village and Ward Officers.
She received input from suppliers, who provided information on the availability, affordability, and accessibility of seeds, fertilisers, pesticides, and agri-technologies. They also contribute to understanding market linkages and supply chain constraints.
Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) offered insights into financial access, credit conditions, women's borrowing constraints, and the role of financial services in enabling innovation and investment at the household and farm levels.
Research Institutions contributed technical expertise, shared ongoing research findings, and helped validate methodological approaches. They also offer opportunities for collaboration in data interpretation and knowledge dissemination.
Lecturers from agricultural universities provided academic guidance, supported methodological refinement, and contributed to the theoretical framing of innovation systems, gender analysis, and climate-resilient agriculture.
Dr Ndosi now transitioned into the writing and dissemination phase of the project. Currently, she is drafting manuscripts for publication in peer-reviewed journals based on the study's key findings. In addition, two abstracts derived from the research have been submitted for conference presentation at the University of Ghana, which marks an essential step in sharing the project's results with the wider academic community.
In numbers: The study covered 2 regions, 2 districts, and 12 villages in Tanzania, with a total of 262 women farmers surveyed. In addition, 8 focus group discussions and 14 key informant interviews were conducted with extension officers, researchers, local government officials, and agribusiness actors. The fieldwork took approximately 10 weeks and involved travelling over 1,200 kilometres across rural areas. The questionnaire contained over 120 variables, generating a rich dataset for quantitative and network analysis. The project also mapped more than 10 Agricultural Innovation System (AIS) actors and their interaction networks. These figures demonstrate the scale, depth, and multi-actor nature of the research.
Overall, the project is progressing according to schedule, and the research objectives are being achieved as planned, with a clear focus now on finalising publications and knowledge dissemination.
Dr Jacquiline Ndosi reporting on her progress for the following research project: Agricultural Innovation System – Toward Empowering Women Farmers Adopting Climate Change Adaptation Strategies: A Case Study of Maize Production in Katavi and Mara Regions, Tanzania.
Edited by Heidi Sonnekus & Leti Kleyn for the FAR-LeaF programme.
