A section of Mombasa county residents has appealed to the county government to decongest Kongowea market by establishing markets in all the sub-counties.
According to the residents, this is the only way to permanently decongest the market at a time the country is battling with the third wave of the covid-19 pandemic.
Speaking to the media in Mombasa, Mombasa Women and Youth Centre advocacy officer Pauline Were said there is a need for the county government to invest in more markets saying it is the only way to generate more revenue in the county.
“The county should also improve on the sanitation and hygiene of the market. The market is always crowded and this is a threat to the health of the hundreds of users of the market,”
Meanwhile, One Nation Under God Executive director Mary Oyier wants the government to protect farmers from the exploitation of middlemen.
“There still exists a missing link in terms of marketing strategies by the farmer. There is a need for the government to advise farmers to use the right marketing channel,” said Mary.
She adds “there are vast resources and farm products that go to waste in rural areas of this country. Products such as mangoes often go to waste because of a lack of proper marketing channel,”
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Ms. Oyier says the finalization of the national marketing strategy 2021-2030 will ensure Kenyans have the right marketing policies thus improving the country’s Gross domestic product.
At the same time, Amazing Group of Persons with Disability field officer Anthony Kiarie hailing from Likoni Sub County says the government has not fully empowered young people in marketing strategies.
“Youth lack capacity building in the marketing of agricultural produce. There are motivational talks on agricultural marketing especially in Mombasa County,”
He wants the government to set up incubation centres in all the sub-counties.
Mary Oyier also urged the government to advise farmers on the proper ways of using agricultural chemicals to boost agricultural production in the country.
She says “Kenyans farmers lack knowledge on agricultural production and marketing of their produce,”
County government should react very fast about decongestion of Kongowea market mostly during this pandemic to reduce the spread of covid