The County government of Kisumu in conjunction with the national government, EU and the Government of Sweden, launched a fish scaling and processing market at the Jubilee market in Kisumu as part of the fulfillment of its manifesto to transform the lives of the fishing community.
The project was launched as part of the agricultural sector development support programme, towards strengthening the development of value chain in Kenya, with 50 groups directly expected to benefit from the market’s value chain and the facility expected to directly impact the entire Kisumu economy by availing to them nutritious fish.
The establishment of the facility now marks the completion of the fish value chain in Kisumu, with only the fish frying section now missing.
However, the marketing community cited the need to beef security in the area, especially by introducing flood lighting in the area.
The chairman of the bus park, Shem Ochuodho noted that the presence of street urchins poses a security threat to the business community, but unveiled plans to empower the local street children, through training them to make them self-reliant.
He further cited the need to refurbish the garbage collection system and installation of permanent coverage for the drainages in the market to spruce sanitation in the market and improve drainage, especially through proper garbage collection to ensure garbage isn’t piled in the area as well as reinforcing toilet facilities.
The Kisumu Agriculture CEC Ken Onyango appreciated ASDP for the project that he noted will ensure hygienic fish handling, but cited plans to expand the project to include other ventures like fish frying to complete the value chain.
Onyango termed the project a milestone for the local community, especially after being launched in market that has a very nostalgic history to the local community due to the central role it played as food gateway to the region and the entire Africa continent.
He noted that the market will ensure seamless availability of food to locals, besides creating jobs and supporting crop and livestock production among the local communities, which forms part of the governor’s Sh25 million stimuli development manifesto that includes brick making and chicken rearing.
By Milton Onyango
