Consuming Urban Poverty Field Report No.3 Food Systems Description - Epworth

Abstract

This report is based on the fieldwork undertaken in Epworth in September 2016. The report will feed into the overall study that aims at exploring food systems in secondary cities and determine how these food systems function. Specifically, the overall study aims to: understand how their major configurations (formal vs. informal) differ in terms of environmental and social externalities; identify the stages within the food systems with significant environmental and social impacts (also referred to as hotspots), and thereby suggest concerns that should be addressed in food systems governance, and describe the environmental and social externalities along the food supply chain for each case study city and where possible quantity these externalities. To achieve the aim of the study, the fieldwork was undertaken to observe and highlight issues along the food value chain of key food items. This was supplemented by published literature. The food system is Epworth consists of a variety of stakeholders mostly from the informal sector. Limited food production (agricultural, aquaculture & fisheries, livestock) within Epworth itself and most of the production is done in areas situated far from Epworth. There are no major wholesalers in Epworth but all the wholesale suppliers are situated in Harare. Similarly, there are no large retailers and supermarkets. All the retail is done through corner stores, family run mini markets, kiosks, street vendors, open markets and mobile vendors. Consumers access food through the various informal catering outlets available.