Report on a visit to Tanzania to initiate urban demand/needs assessment study for non-grain starch staple food crops in Dar es Salaam

The objective of this visit was to initiate the needs assessment case study examining the marketing system for non-grain starch staple food crops linking the rural producer to the Dar es Salaam urban market. Preliminary visits were made to city markets and an identified production area for cassava. Training was provided to members of the survey team covering information requirements, potential sources of information and methods of data collection. These field visits also provided the basis for the formulation of survey guidelines which were left with the project field manager. The survey is to be conducted by members of the Tanzania Food and Nutrition Centre (TFNC) and Marketing Development Bureau (MDB) over the three month period July to September 1994. The primary objective of the survey is to characterise the marketing system identifying major constraints and possible technical intervention needs with a view to technology transfer activities in the non-grain starch staple post-harvest system. The survey also represents a logical extension of the transfer of needs assessment methodologies component of the project, with national participants conducting the survey