Abstract:
Despite the crucial role played by informalmarkets in food distribution globally,
the sector is ignored and marginalized. This study examined vegetable traders,
the trading infrastructure available to them in the market, and how they
conduct their businesses to explain the high food safety challenges in the
sector. This paper is based on a survey, a learning journey, and transformation
labs withmarket traders in Kumasi, Ghana. The study revealed thatmost traders
were self-employed women with low education who worked for long hours.
Access to electricity, water, refrigerators, and storage facilities was limited in
the market. Vegetable spoilage was the highest cost associated with their
trade. Due to the high spoilage rate, the traders sold the best vegetables at
high prices and sold the bruised and rotten vegetables to local eateries and
animal farms. The women made no losses through these strategies but used
unsafe food handling practices and highly-priced wholesome vegetables. Their
actions can reduce urban food security, especially in low-income households.
Access to market infrastructure was influenced by availability, power and cost.
Vegetable trading was the predominant livelihood of the traders. To improve
the e ciency of the sector, eorts can be made toward the provision of
services at the markets, and advocacy of the traders about food security
implications of their actions by the municipal assemblies and market leaders.
