期刊名称：International Journal of Development and Sustainability
印刷版ISSN：2186-8662
出版年度：2018
卷号：7
期号：2
页码：734-754
出版社：International Society for Development and Sustainability (ISDS)
摘要：Smallholder vegetable production is a very important activity in Zimbabwe, contributing significantly towards household food security and income. However, vegetable farmers are constrained from participating in remunerative markets by several factors. The main aim of this study was to analyse factors that influence market channel choice of smallholder vegetable farmers in four districts of Mashonaland East Province of Zimbabwe. The survey used cross-sectional data which was obtained in 2016 from 385 smallholder vegetable farmers. Multistage sampling procedure was employed to construct the sample. The multinomial logistic regression model was used to analyse these factors. Results of the model revealed that distance to market, group membership, adding value, road infrastructure and quantity produced influence participation in rural local markets. On the other hand gender, distance to market, market information, group membership, producer price, adding value, road infrastructure, quantity produced and market infrastructure influence farmers’ participation in urban markets. Policies, aimed at availing resources for improved productivity of vegetables should be gender sensitive. In the same way, crafting of appropriate policies and programmes which foster collective action amongst farmers are required. Again, farmers’ transaction costs can be reduced by investment in infrastructure such as roads. This can enable them to participate in more lucrative markets.
