Households’ participation in agri-food based livelihoods: Insights from urban and peri-urban contexts of Tanzania

Agri-food systems are receiving increased attention globally and more so in the regions like sub-Saharan Africa, owing to a confluence of forces such as population growth, urbanization, migration, and climate change. These ongoing dynamics have considerable transformational implications on the present and future forms of agri-food systems and associated livelihoods. However, empirical evidence on the nature of agri-food-based livelihoods and associated patterns of engagement of households has not kept pace with these dynamics. Using household-level data from a sample of urban and peri-urban households, this study employs descriptive and econometric analyses to assess household participation in agri-food-based livelihood activities. Results illustrate that agri-food systems are a fundamental source of livelihood. A sizable proportion of households is engaged in agriculture (mainly cultivation of permanent and vegetable crops and livestock keeping) reflecting the continued importance of urban and peri-urban agriculture. Results also show that food vending is an important livelihood activity for most households residing in urban areas. Only a relatively small proportion of households participate in processing of agri-produce and transportation. Importantly, the results reveal that agri-food-based livelihood activities in urban and peri-urban settings are far more relied upon by households in lower-income brackets, underscoring the critical role that agri-food system plays enhancing livelihoods of the majority of the urban poor. These findings underline the need for policy and other interventions to prioritize efforts aiming at facilitating an “enabling environment” that fosters inclusive and sustainable agri-food-based livelihoods through, among others, enhancing governance of these activities.