El papel de los actores institucionales como fuente de innovación para los productores de maíz en México

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 < 0.01) in their level of innovation, compared to those who did not have the link. In addition, institutional actors registered the greatest coverage of dissemination of innovations, with an average of 0.9%, they presented a significant difference (p < 0.05) in relation to other actors. The role of institutional actors is relevant for innovation in maize cultivation, due to the type of practices they teach producers and their coverage of dissemination achieved, so it is necessary to increase their linkage, prestige and collaboration in the agricultural sector to improve the productivity and competitiveness of producers.