| dc.description |
This research assessed the intermediaries’ role in urban fresh fruits and vegetable (FFVs) supply chain in Dar es Salaam city with the view to recommend strategies for improving the intermediaries’ role. Specifically, it ascertained the role of intermediaries in urban FFVs supply chain in Dar es Salaam and examined impediments to the intermediaries’ role in urban FFVs supply chain. Finally, the research recommended strategies for improving the intermediaries’ role in urban FFVs. Qualitative approach was adopted and data was collected through documentary review, interviews, focus group discussions and non-participant observations based on the sample size of 92 respondents. According to the findings intermediaries’ roles in FFVs included facilitation of transportation, provision of storage services, value addition and quality improvement as well as facilitation of marketing services. However, intermediaries could not perform these roles to the expected degree. Accordingly, a number of factors were responsible for intermediaries’ inability to play their role in urban FFVs supply chain. Firstly, impediments to transportation included poor road infrastructure, corruption and bribery, geographical factors, as well as lack of transport insurance cover. Secondly, impediments to storage services were lack of storage facilities in urban areas, unreliable power supply, lack of modern storage technology and inadequate knowledge and awareness on storage facilities. Thirdly, impediments to value addition and quality improvement emanated from the inadequate financial capital to buy packaging materials, inadequate knowledge and awareness on value and quality addition, lack of storage facilities as well as poor enforcement of quality assurance and standards. Fourth, impediments to marketing services were caused by the remote location of farmers and their little knowledge and awareness on the urban markets by the intermediaries, lack of the urban market knowledge by the workers involved in loading and offloading the fruits and vegetables, poor marketing information exchange as well as inadequate knowledge on urban market by farmers and traders. Strategies for overcoming the impediments include improvement of road infrastructure and fighting corruption while storage should be ensured by reliable power supply as well as sensitizing intermediaries on proper knowledge and skills. To improve value addition and quality improvement intermediaries and farmers should be empowered financially, sensitized on quality insurance matters, while enforcing quality assurance. Moreover, marketing services to farmers would be improved through use of mobile phones and other relevant means. |
|