THE CONTRIBUTION OF INFORMAL FOOD TRADING TO URBAN FOOD SECURITY IN ZIMBABWE: THE CASE OF GWERU 2000-2007

Sub Saharan African cities today face enormous challenges among them growing urban poverty due to a multitude of factors. It is in this view that the paper attempts to establish how informal food trading as a livelihood strategy has contributed towards increased food security of the traders and the urban population at large. Emphasis has been put on grains, vegetable and fruits, which is the major staple of most Zimbabwean households. This article explores the contribution of informal food trading to food security in the city of Gweru. The paper argues that informal food trading play a critical role in ensuring food security in the urban areas. However, it is also noted that issues of healthy handling of the food and increasing state recognition of these traders need to be urgently addressed.