THE ROLE OF STREET FOOD VENDING TO THE VENDOR’S HOUSEHOLD WELFARE IN ILALA MUNICIPALITY IN DAR ES SALAAM, TANZANIA

Abstract

This paper investigated the role of street food vending to the vendors' household welfare in Ilala Municipality in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Specifically, it examined the motivation for undertaking food vending and determined income earned from this business. Also, it assessed the influence of socio-economic characteristics of street food vendors to their household’s welfare. A cross-sectional study design was applied involving multi-stage sampling techniques. Data were collected from 297 street food vendors using a semi-structured questionnaire. Applying both descriptive and inferential analysis, it was found that many people engage in street food vending because it requires small capital to start and that it generates a substantial income per month. Further, using binary logistics regression, it was established that the vendor’s household welfare are most likely to be influenced by vendor’s socio-economic characteristics such as vendor’s level of formal education (p < 0.05), household size (p < 0.000), street food vending business premise (p < 0.05) and loan from financial institutions (p < 0.001). It is concluded that many people engage in street food vending because it requires small capital to start and a source of reasonable income to meet their daily requirements. Also, the vendor’s level of formal education, presence of other active members earning some income in the household, operating in a permanent structure and borrowing capital from financial institutions are key factors for increasing sales and profit and ultimately improve vendor’s household welfare. It is recommended that the local government should improve street food vending by providing appropriate business education to street food vendors. Also, vendors should be encouraged to operate their businesses in a permanent and affordable structures