Entrepreneurial and Survival Motivations in the Informal Food Sector: A Case Study in N’Djamena, Chad

This article examines participation in the informal food sector in Chad’s capital city, N’Djamena, by studying the differences between survivalist and opportunistic food vendors. The objective is to determine whether the nuanced approach to participation in the informal food sector proposed by studies conducted in Brazil and India can also be applied to the African context, particularly in N’Djamena, Chad. Using five criteria to differentiate the two groups, four regression models were developed to identify the characteristics most strongly associated with each group. The results show that street food vendors are most likely to be opportunistic and that few vendors are both survivalist and opportunistic. Many similarities were found between the two groups, and both would benefit from a more favourable political environment. The implications of this study are important for street vendors, who face difficult working conditions and social stigma due to their informal work. This study contributes to a better understanding of participation in the informal food sector in Chad and may help guide the development of more equitable and effective policies to support these informal workers.