The role of institutional actors as a source of innovation for maize producers in Mexico

The aim of this research was to analyze the role that institutional actors play as sources of innovation in the maize production system in Mexico. For this, data from 2.603 maize producers surveyed in nine states of the Mexican Republic were examined, and the Social Network Analysis (ARS)methodology was used to study the producer's relationship with other actors in the productive system around innovation. The results showed that maize producers have an Adoption of Innovations Index (InAI) of 22.2%, and the participation of institutional actors as sources of innovation for maize producer was limited. However, 1.9% of the producers who had a link with some financial, governmental, teaching or research actor, have a statistically significant difference (p