AfricaPress-Tanzania: SMALL scale entrepreneurs in Dar es Salaam have raised concern over the poor infrastructure hampering their operations. The environment under which food vendors operate poses health hazards.
This was stated by traders at the Mabibo and Temeke Stereo, all in Dar es Salaam, during the visit of the Coordinator of The Eastern and Southern Africa small-scale Farmers Forum (ESAFF), Joseph Mzinga.
EASFF is conducting research in Africa to look at the effects of Covid-19 and food security in Africa.
ESAFF is conducting research in Tanzania, South Africa and Ghana on the food situation in collaboration with the University of the Western Cape, South Africa, and Ardhi University, under the sponsorships of International Development Research Centre (IDSC).
Presenting the trader’s complaints, Mabibo Market Secretary Hassan Omar said they were aware of the matter and were planning to improve the market in the near future.
He said last year departed President John Magufuli allowed the traders to operate there and explained that the area would be under their jurisdiction from the ownership of the Urafiki factory.
The traders also described how they were able to cope with the challenge of Covid-19 when schools and hotels were closed last year.
A food vendor, Hadija Abdul, of Mabibo market in Kinondoni District, said that before the Covid-19, she was selling 40 plates a day but after the outbreak of the pandemic the figure dropped to five to ten plates.
“Actually the business before was vibrant but after the Covid-19 the situation worsened.
However, she said the current situation is not as bad as business has normalised.
“Our business depends on those who come to pick up the product or sell the products to us,” she said.
