Scientific Publication

Accessing local markets: Marketsheds

author(s) Guo, Zhe - Cox, Cindy
from International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)
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themes
regions
  • Africa
  • World
  • Sub-Saharan Africa
  • Southern Africa
  • Western Africa
  • Eastern Africa
citation

Guo, Zhe; Cox, Cindy, 'Accessing local markets: Marketsheds', In Atlas of African agriculture research and development: Revealing agriculture's place in Africa. Sebastian, Kate, Ed. Pp. 68-69, International Food Policy Research Institute, Washington, DC, 2014

Publications and datasets provided via GARDIAN

Abstract

Across Africa buying and selling connects people. For a small-scale farmer, this trade takes place primarily within a limited geographic area based on access to market centers of a given size. The maps illustrate these areas using different colors to represent marketsheds—geographical areas and associated populations that are part of real or potential trade networks with a given market. From any location within a marketshed, it takes less time to travel to the corresponding market compared to any neighboring markets. In theory, farmers within a marketshed prefer to trade their commodities at the corresponding market, which minimizes travel cost (p. 66).

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