Food health risk perceptions among consumers, farmers, and traders of leafy vegetables in Nairobi

Abstract

Urban and peri-urban farming and supply chains are becoming increasingly important for delivering perishable produce to the urban centers of the developing world to meet the demands of a growing population. However, some production and handling practises and a short supply chain may expose consumers to substantial health risks. This study of consumers, peri-urban farmers, and traders attempts to quantify subjective risk judgments with regard to food safety hazards, and examines the extent of discrepancies in perceived risk relating to vegetables in domestic urban markets among the three groups. A conceptual model was developed to elicit subjective risk perceptions for a multidimensional construct. In general, differences were found between respondent categories in terms of both specific source risks and overall risks. Differences were also found with respect to the socio-demographic and structural determinants of the levels of perceived risks. These findings can help improve policies to promote food safety and reduce risky food handling along the supply chain, and present opportunities for change.