High-value market opportunities for smallholder vegetable farmers in Arusha region, Tanzania

A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE IN AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS OF SOKOINE UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE. MOROGORO, TANZANIA. 2017

This study was conducted to determine high-value market opportunities for smallholder vegetable farmers in Arusha Region. To do so, the study provides a micro level survey. The survey was conducted on smallholder vegetable farmers and high-value markets in Arusha Region. The specific objectives were identifying the characteristics of smallholder vegetable farmers in Arusha Region; determining factors that influence smallholder vegetable farmers participation in high-value market opportunities; and examine the capability of smallholder vegetable farmers to become preferred suppliers in selected high-value markets. Data were collected from primary source. The primary source data for this study was collected from 200 vegetable farmers, and 30 high-value markets (supermarkets, schools, and hotels). The results showed that age of farmers, sex, their household, their level of education and their main occupation had a positive influence on vegetable farmers’ vegetable production and participation. For Binary logistic regressions it was found that vegetable farmers experience in growing cabbage and in growing tomato, distance to the high-value market, tomato yield, cabbage yield, and onion yield had a significant influence on smallholder farmers’ participation in high-value market. SWOT analysis showed farmers strength, weakness, opportunities, and threats that enable them to become preferred suppliers to the high-value markets. Smallholder farmers strength included; owning land, possession of skills in cultivating either cabbage, onion or tomato, year-round availability of water for irrigation, access to inputs, access to extension service, and availability of high-value market in their area. The smallholder farmer’s opportunities were good climatic conditions and training opportunities from various agricultural organizations.