Production of vegetables is a key factor in ensuring a continuous supply of raw materials for the development of
agribusiness in horticulture. It is often argued that vegetable production in Zanzibar has reasonable advantages but the
information regarding the commercial potential of local farmers in producing and retailing vegetables is limited. The present
work has assessed the situation of vegetable production and marketing in Zanzibar. Both quantitative and qualitative
methods were used to gather the necessary information, including interviewer administered questionnaires, informal group
discussions, field observations and key informant interviews. The study revealed that about 59% of the farmer’s population
produces vegetables commercially, though only 30% to 35% of their yields are sold in market. It was also observed that out
of 16 types of vegetables that were found to dominate the market, only 9typeswereproduced profitably by the local farmers.
In general, almost all vegetables encountered were imported from regional countries to fill the market demand gaps.It is
recommended that both or (the) government and non-government organization should extend their supports to local
vegetable farmers, through (by providing them with) information, technology, production inputs and credit as a means of
improving the quality and the quantity of their yield