Commercial horticulture in rural Tanzania – an analysis of key influences

Abstract

Food production per head of population in the sub-Saharan African region is in decline. This paper focuses on a particular sector of food production; rural fruits and vegetables, which are intended for city retail markets through a case study of Dar es Salaam. This paper is part of a wider integrated study of food production, distribution and marketing for the city of Dar es Salaam. The aim of the paper is to establish some conclusions about why producers choose to produce horticultural foods for sale, and to investigate the ways in which the commodities enter the channels of supply to the city. The paper evaluates the significance of broad macro-level economics and policy, and how important local and individual economic, social and environmental contexts may be to the geography of fruit and vegetable production. Two case study areas, known to be important fruit and vegetable supply areas for Dar es Salaam, were selected for analysis. The evidence collected in this analysis suggests that, in order to understand the activities of fruit and vegetable producers, it is necessary to analyse local ecological and locational issues as well as broad economic and political factors. The results of the survey demonstrate that certain aspects of production are influenced by external economic issues and others by local historical or environmental considerations.