Market Information Access as a Driver of Economic Sustainability among Smallholder Goat Farmers in the Goat Value Chain of Misungwi District, Tanzania

Abstract

Improving market information for smallholder goat farmers is most important for involving them in the goat market. Most smallholder goat farmers lack access to market information on their goats, including the goats' prices in the markets. This study examines the constraints faced by smallholder goat farmers in accessing reliable market information and participating effectively in the goat value chain in Misungwi district. This study was carried out across three wards: Misasi, Igokelo, and Idetemya, located in the Misungwi district. This study used a sample size of sixty-three respondents. The study employed a survey, interview and desk study research design, and both qualitative and quantitative research approaches were used. Stakeholders were interviewed, including six traders and seven key informants (including extension officers and local government officials). Quantitative data were analyzed by using SPSS, while qualitative data were analyzed using the thematic content analysis procedure. Findings reveal critical barriers such as limited extension services, inadequate financial and training support, weak bargaining power, poor infrastructure, and dependence on informal market channels. The majority of farmers rely on unreliable sources for market information, have low education levels, and operate within poorly coordinated institutional frameworks. These challenges hinder commercialization, reduce farmers’ income potential, and perpetuate low productivity. Even with these limitations, the study finds chances for growth in the use of mobile phones, the willingness to learn, and the possibility of working together to develop. It is therefore recommended that there is a need for the Misungwi District Council to enhance extension services, foster institutional collaboration, improve access to ICT tools, and promote capacity-building programmes to strengthen farmers’ integration into the goat value chain and improve rural livelihoods.