Institutional Innovation and Certified Compliance of Tea Sustainability Standards in Southern Highlands of Tanzania

Abstract

The Tanzania Agricultural Policy of 2013 intended to boost institutional innovation of crop commodities for meeting sustainability standards. However, details on the implementation of institutional innovation by farmers specifically tea growers in achieving certified compliance of tea sustainability standards is not yet addressed. Therefore, this study examined the implementation performance of institutional innovation in achieving certified compliance of tea sustainability standards among the tea growers in Southern Highlands of Tanzania. The study specifically determined the difference between certified compliance of tea sustainability standards before and after the introduction of institutional innovation; and determining the relationship between institutional innovation and certified compliance of tea sustainability standards in Southern Highlands of Tanzania. This study was approached quantitatively and qualitatively with descriptive and explanatory survey designs. The data collection was done using interview and questionnaire. The data were obtained from 300 tea growers who were selected using simple random, stratified, and purposive sampling techniques. The gathered data were analyzed using Descriptive Statistics, Paired t-tests and Multiple Linear Regressions. The findings of the study display Institutional Innovation in terms of process innovation, technological innovation and organizational innovation. Being that the case, it was found that there was large effect in the improvement of certified compliance of tea sustainability standards after introducing institutional innovation in Southern Highlands of Tanzania. Additionally, the institutional innovation is noted to bear significant relationship with certified compliance of tea sustainability standards in Southern Highlands of Tanzania. The tea growers are therefore urged to continue implementing institutional innovation in maintaining certified compliance of tea sustainability standards in national and international markets. The implementation of organizational innovation should be improved in order to work hand in hand with process and technological innovation.