Constraints to vegetable production Sample Clauses

Constraints to vegetable production. Although both EPAs are able to produce some high quality vegetables, farmers face limitations to access profitable markets. For instance, farmers indicated high produce congestion as Mozambicans also rely on the same markets. It was revealed that the Mozambicans usually have a price advantage of their produce since they have a cheaper source of pesticides from their inland shops in addition to having unlimited access to land that allow extensive vegetable production using family labour. It was also revealed that for villages away from these main markets namely Lizulu, Mlangeni and Bembeke, farmers prefer vendors to buy their produce from their fields. Many reported that at a great distance, a combination of production costs, high transport costs to markets, post-harvest losses incurred on the way to the market and low market prices is higher than the proceeds realized when the farmers take their produce to the market. Unfortunately, prices are determined/offered by the vendors when the vegetables are sold from the fields. The main challenge of dry season vegetable production in Njolomole EPA was water for irrigation due to increased water demand arising from increased numbers of farmers; drying up of rivers and reduced residual moisture resulting from forest degradation and declining rainfall pattern especially during the dry season (See figure 1 below) (when vegetable production is intensified). In some villages, farmers scramble for water where those in the upstream make dams and therefore limiting down stream flow. Other farmers water their crops during mid nights, but it was noted that this is a challenge to female headed households due to security reasons.