Vegetable marketing and smallholder farmers’ wellbeing performance; A case of Moshi district council

Effective Vegetable marketing are remarkable for contributing to economic growth, development, poverty reduction and the wellbeing of the agricultural actors. This study aimed at assessing the effect of vegetable marketing on smallholder farmers’ wellbeing in Tanzania. Specifically, the study examined the influence of vegetable marketing on smallholders’ farmers wellbeing performance, examined the effect of Contractual farming on smallholders’ wellbeing performance and determined the effect of Vegetable marketing survey and marketing knowledge on vegetable farming towards smallholders’ farmers wellbeing performance. The study employed a cross-sectional research design on 200 agribusiness smallholder farmers. Data collection methods included survey, key informants’ interview (KIIs) and focus group discussions. The study collected and analysed both qualitative and quantitative data from primary and secondary sources. Quantitative data were analyzed using a multiple regression model while the qualitative data were analysed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed that vegetable marketing and wellbeing performance were slightly positive with a more variables indicating absence of relationship whereby, vegetable products marketing has a narrow relationship with smallholders’ farmers' wellbeing since contract farming show a positive significant relationship but vegetable marketing and marketing knowledge have no relationship. Therefore, vegetable product marketing has a slight influence on smallholder farmers’ wellbeing performance in the study area. The study concludes that vegetable marketing studied components negatively influencing wellbeing performance by increasing the ability of the smallholders’ farmers to have good wellbeing performance. The study recommends to the Moshi District Council must establish competition among traders to prevent farmers being locked into unequal relationships with particular traders. Farmers through the ministry of agriculture should be provided with marketing information and extension services so to improve production and their wellbeing.