Mvomero's farmers are losing an average of 30,000 tons of vegetables a year due to bad roads which bar them from reaching markets in nearby townships and cities. The farmers, in three villages of Tchenzema ward, Mgeta division, are sometimes forced to throw their produce out as their vehicles are breaking down due to bad roads leading to mainly Morogoro and Dar es Salaam markets.
According to Tchezema Ward chairman Sist Mkude, every year vegetable farmers experience bumper harvest but fail to sell their produce: "We harvest different kinds of vegetables, and fruits, most of which get rotten and wasted. This is due to the lack of reliable market access as taking them to the market is impeded by bad roads."
He said in most cases trucks fail to reach their villages completely or on time and if managed, they broke down midway. The Ward Chair spoke last Saturday in a meeting held in Kibagala village, Tchenzema ward, Mgeta which discussed challenges faced by farmers and ways of addressing them.
Source: allafrica.com