The Influence of Maize Cluster Development Interventions on the Performance of Actors in Morogoro Region, Tanzania

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the influence of maize cluster development interventions on the performance of actors in Tanzania. Specifically, the study aimed at identifying types of interventions employed by actors of maize clusters, the influence of intervention on the performance of actors, and the challenges facing actors of maize clusters in the study area. Descriptive analysis, linear regression analysis, and word clouds analysis were used to analyze the findings. Results show the common types of interventions employed by actors of maize clusters are; proper seed spacing, capacity building, control of aflatoxin, and marketing. Upon linear regression results show, that technological support, networking, and marketing were reported as interventions of high influences on actors of maize clusters with p-values of (0.01, 0.02, and 0.02) respectively. However, the key challenges reported to face actors of maize clusters in the study area were: lack of funds to buy agricultural inputs, limited access to financial resources, lack of transparency among cluster leaders, shortage of market, lack of coordination among respective research institutions and poor communication among actors. Regardless of different interventions to support actors of the maize cluster still challenges exist and some of them are part of the employed interventions. Thus different transformative participatory strategies are required to be vested among actors of maize clusters in Morogoro regions and other areas of the country for proper performance of the maize cluster and economic development of the country.