Keeping Food Markets Working: Rapid Need Assessment

Project Description

Detailed Narrative Description of the Project:

GLOBAL ALLIANCE FOR IMPROVED NUTRITION contracted a Rapid Needs Assessment (RNA) with COVID – 19 lens that provides a snapshot of the present food and nutrition circumstances of wet markets places in Rawalpindi & Peshawar. . APEX applied a mixed methods approach, RNA. The output was an assessment that provided a snapshot of the present food and nutrition circumstances of wet marketplaces in these cities. This snapshot identified meaningful gaps and potential innovative market responses – especially regarding vulnerable urban communities.

Services provided by APEX

Services provided by your Firm: To achieve the objectives of the study, both the quantitative and qualitative approaches were employed to assess the needs of the vendors in the wet-markets of meats, fruits and vegetables. Under the quantitative approach, the wet-market vendors’ survey were conducted through structured questionnaire, in which all possible replies were pre-coded and leaving one option as others (than those already covered). The qualitative side was encompassed of Focus Group Discussion (FGDs) and Gathering Information from the Key Informants by interviewing them personally. For this APEX has hired a total of eight (four in each city) qualified field staff for field work. However, for the Qualitative data collection one expert was deployed in each city.

The data collection through purposeful sampling was carried out for the quantitative component of the retail vendors’ survey in 10 wet-markets of Rawalpindi and 10 wet-markets of Peshawar cities was carried out. 80 randomly selected shopkeepers/stall holders dealing with our 8 fresh food items were interviewed from each chosen market. This has enabled us getting a total sample of 160 respondents – 80 from Rawalpindi and 80 from Peshawar cities. For the Qualitative Component of the survey, the purposive sampling technique shall be employed for FGD’s and KII’s. Conceptually, purposive sampling falls under non-probability based sampling techniques. 4 FGDs were held in each city, at the site of the identified wet-markets. Similarly 6 interviews were also held in each city with key stakeholders in the food regulation and governance aspects.

The gathered data were analyzed on the basis of cities and classifying the commodities dealt with into food groups (fruits & vegetables and others group). The study concluded that, mandating use of face mask in all public places, non-taxing the material used in masks and sanitizers manufacturing and selling, mandatory maintaining environmental cleanliness of wet-markets, and publicizing in media camping that “customers should avoid shopping at unhygienic shops” as our religion categorically emphasizes as “cleanliness is half faith”. This will assist promoting cleanliness”.

District Coverage: Rawalpindi and Peshawar.

Level of Effort (Consultants and Support Teams): Team Lead, two qualitative experts and two quantitative field teams were deployed; each team consisted of three male enumerators and one male supervisor, two internal monitors were also deployed.

Reporting: Rapid Need Market Assessment Report.