Abstract:
The study aimed at crafting evaluation on whether the roadside markets are potential
marketing options for agricultural product and practical business venture that can
contribute towards employment opportunity in the study area in particular.
The specific objectives were to examine the performance of the roadside markets in
terms of quantity and profitability of the crops sold to scrutinize the degree to which
roadside markets offers a markets channel for agricultural product in the study area, to
examine crop sales in the interior market places and to find ways which seems suitable
in improving the condition and performance of the roadside markets.
The study adopted a case study research design as the best way of collecting data and
assessing the roadside vending as business strategy and marketing option for agricultural
products. The study comprised 180 respondents including roadside vendor‘s farmers and
village leader on the Moshi- Arusha highway. Questionnaire, interview, observation and
group discussion were used to collect data. Data were presented into tables, graphs and
charts for easy analysis and discussion of findings.
The study findings in dictated that roadside vending when well managed can be used as
the business straggly and marketing option for agricultural products. However many
roadside markets along the Moshi- Arusha Highway are not well functioning and
supported by the government. The study recommended therefore an improvement of the
roadside markets through creation of formal contracts between farmers and roadside
vendors and obtaining insurance of the produced good/commodities and marketed
production.
