Women’s Interaction with Agricultural Innovation Systems (AIS) for Climate Change Mitigation in Tarime and Mpimbwe Districts, Tanzania

Conference submission

Ndosi, M.J., Ahmad, K.A., Makindara, J.R. & Duodu, K.G

Abstract: Women play a central role in climate change mitigation in smallholder agriculture, yet their engagement with Agricultural Innovation Systems (AIS) remains uneven and poorly understood. This study analyses how women engage with AIS and how these interactions support the adoption of climate change mitigation strategies in Tanzania. Using a convergent parallel mixed-methods design, the study was conducted in Tarime District (Mara Region) and Mpimbwe District Council (Katavi Region), two major maise-producing areas with contrasting agro-ecological conditions. Quantitative data were collected from 262 women farmers selected through a multi-stage stratified random sampling design, with the sample size determined using Cochran’s formula, and complemented by focus group discussions and key informant interviews with purposively selected AIS actors. The analysis combines ordered logistic regression and social network analysis to examine both the drivers and structure of women’s engagement with AIS. Results show that women’s interaction with AIS is significantly strengthened by institutional support, access to innovation platforms, and regular engagement with extension and research services (p < 0.05). Network analysis reveals a highly centralised and weakly connected AIS, in which women are often positioned on the periphery, and a small number of actors predominantly mediate interactions. Women with stronger AIS connections are more likely to adopt climate change mitigation strategies, while fragmented networks constrain meaningful outcomes. Overall, the findings demonstrate that the effectiveness of AIS in supporting women-led climate change mitigation depends not only on participation but also on the quality, inclusiveness, and continuity of engagement.

Keywords: Climate change mitigation; Agricultural Innovation Systems; women farmers; gender and agriculture; smallholder farming; Tanzania