Beyond the supply chains of technology and commodity: Challenges to strengthening mango innovation systems in Andhra Pradesh, India

Despite favourable agro-ecological conditions and being the largest international mango producer, India still struggles to build competence in sustainable mango production and post-harvest. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the literature on innovation capacity development, and to explore aspects of innovation systems ideas in the analysis of mango production and marketing by small-scale farmers in the South Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.

This paper uses case study research methods to an analysis of the sector ' s recent history combined with an empirical account of systems thinking on integrating technology supply chains and commodity supply chains.

Findings suggest that the case of mango production and post-harvest in the Krishna district is a dismal one and the remedial actions to strengthen mango innovation systems in the district relate to aspects of capacity development to promote upward spiral of learning and innovation, and involve multistakeholder processes to integrate the supply chains of technologyand commodity.

This paper, with its aim to contribute to the literature on innovation capacity development, brings together conventionally distinct bodies of literature on strengthening innovation systems and developing stakeholder capacity. The value of this paper lies on how it addresses technology supply and commodity supply issues in the analysis of competence challenges to strengthening mango innovation systems performance.