This paper endeavours to examine what happens within the horticultural supply chain to affect safety and quality and what are the constraints faced within that chain that impact adversely on the ability to make improvements. The paper tentatively concludes that traditional marketing systems presently provide little motivation or incentive for farmers to make improvements to either quality or safety. Improving quality and safety will require recognition that farmers and traders need to be motivated by the marketing system to make changes. The availability of information and resources to enable those involved to make those changes is also essential. The paper further argues that governments need to improve the condition of many markets through upgrading management and reinvesting market fees in physical infrastructure. Wholesale markets need to investigate the feasibility of developing separate sections to handle fruits and vegetables that meet defined safety and quality standards. Ways in which farmers can link with retailers through traditional channels, including through organization into groups, clusters, associations, cooperatives, etc. should be explored. The paper is aimed at staff of ministries of agriculture, including extension officers, who are working to develop improved safety and quality in the horticultural sector. It should also be of interest to those working in regulatory organizations, to traders and wholesale market management, who clearly need to improve quality and safety if they are to compete with the new supply chains being developed by supermarkets, and to donors and NGOs working to improve horticultural marketing and to promote good agricultural practices.