Consumer Negotiation and Acquisition at the Bottom of-the-Pyramid: The Case of Women Market Traders

Fresh food markets, whether centrally organized by governments or ad hoc in nature, provide the world’s market traders, the vast majority of whom are women, with a critical source of income. Simultaneously, these markets serve a critical social function by making possible the efficient aggregation and redistribution of foods to needy populations, and providing economically and ecologically sustainable alternatives to imported foods that have higher economic and environmental costs. Women market traders play a critical role in consumer access to fresh and low cost agricultural products. In addition, in some countries their market entrance fees serve as a significant source of local government revenue. Throughout Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, Asia, and Australasia, however, women traders are frequently dismissed as marginal, unskilled, and unimportant. Women market traders make substantial contributions to local and national economies by connecting consumers with agricultural producers, adding to local government funding, and sustaining count less households and communities. Their importance and contributions must be understood and acknowledged.