Mtandao wa Vikundi
vya Wakulima Tanzania (MVIWATA) organized a consultative meeting at Nyandira,
Mvomero District, between members of MVIWATA to discuss and thereby resolve
market operation & management challenges facing the Market that has
hindered smooth, safe and sustainable benefits to smallholder producers in the
respective areas.
Nyandira market is located about 50kms from Morogoro town, north of Uluguru
Mountain, in Mgeta area. It is managed by a market board, established under the
partnership between MVIWATA and Tchenzema SACCO (the owners and chief
regulators of the company), and in agreement with Mvomero District Council. The
produce sold in Nyandira market is mainly composed of vegetables and fruits.
Nyandira Market is one of the ten markets constructed by MVIWATA, other markets includes Kibaigwa, Tandai, Tawa, Igurusi, Mkata, Kasanga, Matai, Igagala and Malolo.
The overall potential impact of these markets is that most of the producers and traders are committed and willing to use them because they open up vast economic benefits to the producers, traders and the local government. The markets are creating business opportunities around markets, creating employment to the local populations as well as in the whole marketing chain.
Moreover markets have provided important links and ingredients to Tanzanian government strategy to promote agriculture and gain revenues through tax collections.
Nyandira market is facing governance and management challenges where by the day to day management of the market is lacking due to inefficient performance of the market board and Mvomero district council.
Currently among the services that are inefficiently available at the market are Buying and selling of agricultural crops and manufactured goods, Having the day’s price information at the disposal of the rural farmers and traders, Weighing of crops prior to being sold, Cleaning and drying of crops, Storage of sold and unsold produce, Security for farmers and their goods, Access to eating places, clean water and toilet facilities within the market, albeit at a small fee, Availability of other products within the market which farmers can use their earned money to buy, such as clothes and flour.
This has led to the lack of collection of revenues from market stakeholders using the market infrastructures.
Therefore the meeting was held to first define the date for election of members of the board market of Nyandira. The board market will then formulate and oversee the governance of the market while at the same time organise a meeting with Mvomero district council to have an agreement over the terms to manage the Nyandira markets in aspects of revenue collection and management expenses of the market.
