Institute of Resource Assessment

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    Impact of urban and peri-urban agriculture on food security in Dar es salaam, Tanzania
    (University of Dar es Salaam, 2019) Malekela, Asnath Alberto
    Urban and peri-urban agriculture have thrived in many parts of the world as a response and adaptation to food insecurity caused in part by rapid urbanization. This study examined the contribution of urban and peri-urban agriculture on food on food security. It also looked at the dynamics of food production and its distribution in the study area and assessed the impact of supermarket expansion on urban and peri-urban agriculture and food security as well as the constraints facing urban and peri-urban agriculture. Secondary data were collected through literature survey and primary data were collected using structured and in-depth interviews, observations and focus group discussions. A total of 201 respondents who engaged in urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPA) in Dar es salaam city were interviewed. Also, local market traders from 10 local markets,, and 7 supermarket managers/representatives from 7 supermarkets in Dar es salaam city were interviewed. The statistical package for Social Sciences (SPSS) VERSION 20 was used to analyse the data and Pearson Chil-square was used to test the statistical significance between variables. The findings show that urban and peri-urban agriculture contributed positively to food accessibility, food availability, food stability and utilization. The findings also revealed that food production and distribution in the study area was dynamic in various ways, firstly it was gender sensitive where by 54.2% females were also. It was characterized by shifting cultivation due to water scarcity (25%) lack of land (34%), urban sprawl (15%) and land ownership (12%). In its mode of operationalization some farmers worked in groups (28.4%) and some worked on individual basis (71.6%). The agricultural products were sold to the local markets and supermarkets. It was also found out that the rapid mushrooming of supermarkets in Dar es salaam city had a positive contribution on food security by procuring food products from various sources within and outside Tanzania and some from urban and peri-urban farming thus providing them markets however small. The study also revealed that, urban and peri-urban agriculture in the study are encountered a number of constraints including; increased temperatures (21.6%), lack of land (21.2%), pests and diseases (16.7%),decrease in rainfall (21.4%), lack of capital (10.3%), lack of market (5.8%) and shift in rain season(4.3%). It is evident that, urban and peri-urban agriculture contribute positively on food security, however the activity is dynamic and faces a number of challenges. The study recommends that the government of Tanzania should provide support to urban and peri-urban farmers by boosting up agricultural activities and creating an enabling environment for farmers. Vertical farming should be adopted for the better output with the use of limited land and water resources. Also, the government should strengthen the laws with regard to inclusion of locally produced food products Tanzania supermarkets