A Dissertation submitted in fulfillment of the Requirement for the Award of the
Degree of Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Corporate Management
of Mzumbe University
This study intended to look into factors influencing marketing of vegetables, looking into
tomato value chain specifically to small holder farmers located at Ruvu Chini at Kibaha
District council. The objectives were to investigating influences made by marketing
information and transactional cost on the market of Tomatoes also challenges these
farmers face and what is the role of government in vegetable farming.
The research approach was both qualitative and quantitative. Data was collected through
questionnaires and interview to a total of ninety three (93) respondents including
smallholder farmer, agricultural officer and trade officers. Agricultural officers and trade
officers were purposively selected while small holder farmers were conveniently
selected. Data analysis was analyzed quantitatively through SPSS and qualitatively
through discourse analysis. Ordinal regression was used to determine the relationship
and influence of marketing information and transactional cost on ordinal outcome
(vegetable marketing measured in scale of 1-3, where 1=Weak, 2=Moderate, 3= Strong)
Findings revealed that, for every increase of transactional cost causes decrease in the
marketing of tomatoes. Also access to market information positively influences
vegetable marketing. The government main role is to enforce policies and creating good
environment for farmers. However, farmers also declared that the government’s main
role should be to protect smallholder farmers’ rights since the market of vegetables in
Tanzania is a free market.
Recommendations are that the government should enforce laws that empower small
holder farmers of tomatoes like how it is done in other crops like cashew nuts and this
can be done through strengthened collaboration with a public-private partnership with
existing stakeholders.