Agribusiness social enterprises for sustaining livelihoods in urban settlements in transition: Evidence from nursery gardens in rapidly urbanizing city in Tanzania.

Abstract

Nurseries gardens in urban areas as agribusiness social enterprises have gained a significant popularity for their contribution towards economic growth, employment creation, households’ income generation, urban ecosystem preservation, urban aesthetic values, incubation of entrepreneurial talents and therefore stimulating socio-economic development. This paper is the result presents specific findings from the broad project on Urbanization and ITS Impacts on the Use of Natural Resources in Africa funded by VW Stiftung Foundation of Germany (2009-2012). In specific, terms, Moshi in particular, the study focused on analysing the contribution of nursery gardens as social enterprises on sustainable livelihoods of the people with urbanisation perspectives. It examined the how nursery gardens sustain household income, health, education, food safety and shelter as the livelihood outcomes of poor resource persons in urban and peri-urban zones of the city. Likely, it explores the ecological impacts of nursery gardens and environmental justice issues within the changing climatic conditions and livelihoods in the city. The presence of both positive and negative relationships existing between households’ business income and livelihoods strategies and outcomes were highlighted. However, institutional conflicts and structures on business premises, informality and inadequate reliable marketing information found affecting environmental justice, ecosystem, food systems and households incomes in both urban and peri-urban settlements in the city. The study wind–up by arguing that the growth of nursery gardens as social enterprises, which contributed much to households life in the city needs to be strengthened in view to their operating environment along with access to business premises and markets, financial aspects, affordable technical, entrepreneurship, and business management skills and training. Moreover, land management skills and urban development polices and legislations awareness to these actors are demand in Moshi and other Sub-Saharan African Cities to enhance urban ecosystems and livelihoods sustainability.