Weekly Market Spatial Flow Patterns of Foodstuffs and Its Impacts on Traders ' Livelihoods in Mountain Regions: The Case of Mt Rungwe Region, Tanzania

Abstract

This paper examines the weekly market spatial flow patterns of foodstuffs and its impact on traders ' livelihoods in Mt. Rungwe Region. The data were collected using questionnaires, in depth interviews and observations in June 2010 and June 2011. The findings show that there are two major spatial flow patterns of foodstuffs at weekly markets based on the complementarity principle. The first one is from food producing areas to a weekly market. The second one is from weekly markets to another weekly market, immediate hinterland areas, urban areas within the country and areas outside the country. Motorised transport was the major means of moving foodstuffs. It was used by 68.5% of the respondents. The χ2 test indicated that there was a statistical significant relationship at 0.05 level between distance travelled and the amount of income earned at p< 0.05. Those who travelled longer earned more income. Also χ2 findings showed that there was a statistical significant relationship at 0.05 level between the type of foodstuffs sold and the time when they were sold. Most of the fruits and vegetables have started to be sold in 2000s while staples started to be sold at weekly market in the 1980s. Among the many challenges that the weekly market traders faced was the many taxes that were charged at different levels (45.6%), lack of capital (23.7%), lack of customers (14%) and transport problems (11.4%). Hence the need for the government to support market traders with credits and improved roads particularly from rural areas to weekly markets so as to improve accessibility of the foodstuffs in highland regions.