Food Standards and Smallholders Upgrading in Local Linkages: Evidence from Horticultural-tourism Value Chain in Zanzibar

Abstract

The study examines the influence of food safety, health and quality standards in smallholders upgrading in local linkages using the evidence from horticultural-tourism value chain in Zanzibar. In-depth interviews with the hotels, intermediaries, individual farmers, farmer organisation and documentary review were conducted and qualitatively analysed. The results show that small farmers are heavily challenged to comply with standards given their lack of resources and support, which limit their ability to upgrading farming activities and access tourist hotels' market; as a result the local linkage is persistently weak. This suggests that rural policies need to be redesigned to enhance farmers upgrade and comply with these standards.