Premium
Managing seasonality in West African informal urban vegetable markets: The role of household relations
Author(s) -
BellwoodHoward Imogen,
Ansah Isaac Gershon Kodwo,
Donkoh Samuel Arkoh,
Korbéogo Gabin
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of international development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.533
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1099-1328
pISSN - 0954-1748
DOI - 10.1002/jid.3562
Subject(s) - livelihood , agriculture , seasonality , business , profit (economics) , focus group , economic growth , agricultural economics , economics , socioeconomics , marketing , geography , statistics , mathematics , archaeology , microeconomics
Seasonality influences African informal agricultural markets, but existing literature inadequately explores its interactions with market actors' social relations and livelihood outcomes. Thus, agricultural commercialisation policy ineffectively supports such actors to manage seasonality. Across Bamako, Ouagadougou and Tamale, we conducted interviews, focus group discussions, and a survey of farmer and marketer profits across seasons. Hot, dry season lettuce transactions performed by marketers are more likely to make profit. Farmers and marketers rely on household and community relations and reproduce gendered skills to optimise profit and secure future income streams. Policies supporting household reproduction, and infrastructure, may best support their marketing activity.