Characterization of Urban Market Gardening in the City of Sarh in Chad

Abstract

Market gardening in the city of Sarh is a rapidly growing sector and is attracting increasing interest due to the high demand for fresh vegetables and its contribution to job creation and income for farmers. The objective of this study is to characterize market gardening in the city of Sarh. The methodology used consisted of collecting data through a field survey. The surveys were conducted among 121 market gardeners selected randomly. The study variables included the profile of the market gardeners, the characteristics of their farms, their cultivation practices, and their vegetable products. The study showed that the majority of market gardeners (86.78%) were married men (70.25%) with an average age of 31 years. The majority of market gardeners were educated (only 11.57% of illiterate producers) and had market gardening as their main activity (68.60% of producers). Market gardeners cultivate small plots ranging from 42 m² to 1,492 m² with an average of 333 m². 56.20% of farms are inherited. River water is mainly used for crop irrigation (66.67%). Market gardeners use both organic fertilizers as base dressing (83.5%) and chemical fertilizers (82.64%) on their farms. Although the majority of market gardeners (53.72%) apply pesticides, 46.28% use various types of bio-pesticides to protect their crops. Market gardening production in Sarh is characterized by a diversity of vegetable species grown with a predominance of leafy-vegetables (45% of cultivated products). This study provides a basis for reflection on the actions to be undertaken to integrate urban agriculture into the city's development plans.