Making markets work for people
Making markets work for people Cue: How often do you go to the market? Once or twice a week? Or perhaps you sell goods in a market, and go there everyday? For people who sell perishable goods, like fruit and vegetables, choosing the right market can be vital. A poor day?s trade may mean that valuable produce must be thrown away, sold for a low price, or taken back to the village. Around 35 years ago in Lusaka, Zambia, a group of farmers decided to change the way they marketed, to make the system work better, both for them and their customers. The Tuesday market was born, which now operates as a cooperative with over 200 members. Chris Kakunta went to find out how it works. IN: ?Very shortly I will be talking ? OUT: ? it has been a pleasure.? DUR?N: 4?53? BACK ANNOUNCEMENT: Chris Kakunta reporting from Lusaka?s Tuesday market. The interview comes from a resource pack produced by CTA. Transcript Kakunta Very shortly I will be talking to my colleagues here at the Lusaka Tuesday Marketing Cooperative Limited. Farmers flock from as far as Mumbwa, Chongwe, Kafue. They all gather here at Lusaka Tuesday market for one purpose, to sell their products. As you can hear from the background there are all sorts of farmers selling different types of products around. And with me is Mr Friday Pride Shawa. You are the Chairperson for this particular cooperative. Could you tell me why you came up with this idea? Shawa We came up with this idea when we looked at the market. We found it was ideal that each and every farmer should come and gather in the capital here so that we can sell our produce at a very competitive and fair price. Kakunta So what type of farmers do you have here? Shawa The farmers who come to this market are from small-scale farmers, subsistence farmers and a few commercial farmers. Kakunta Now coming to you Mr Ernest Kayumba, you are coming from Mumbwa which is about two hundred kilometres from where we are having our interview. What brings you here? Kayumba What brings me here is because of the good outlet that we have at Tuesday market. You find that products here are very competitive compared to Mumbwa. Kakunta Most farmers deliver their crops everyday to an open market. This particular market only opens on Tuesdays. Do you think you are able to make more money by selling on a specific day? Kayumba Yes we do because a lot of our customers come on this specific day. Kakunta This looks like a market for those who are well to do? Kayumba It seems so. Kakunta And is that the reason why you prefer selling your products on Tuesday? Kayumba I think so. Kakunta As a chairman, do you think this is a very good idea that can be replicated elsewhere? Shawa This is a very good idea because the customers will come specifically for that day and they will buy things in bulk and farmers will make their money at good time. Kakunta What makes this market popular here in Lusaka? Shawa It is a market which has got security and a lot of diplomats they buy here. Even our politicians, the Chinese, they come here and each and everything which you want, a vegetable, a fruit, you will find it at this market and this is only on Tuesdays. Kakunta Now as a farmer it is often said that a farmer produces these crops at a very high cost. At the end of the day they lose, they are unable to sell their products. Are experiencing this here as a farmer who is brining their products on a Tuesday? Kayumba No, I am not experiencing this because when you come here on Tuesday the prices are very competitive and good, such that that loss is not actually incurred. Kakunta Now if a similar market has to be established elsewhere, what are the key things that you would like to tell our listeners on how they can establish a similar market? Shawa The thing is they have to come together and register themselves under the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives and then they get clearance from the council to allow them a permit to operate such a market. Kakunta And to the farmers who bring their products like Mr Kayumba? Shawa The farmers like Mr Kayumba, these are most welcome here. As long as we have got space we can still accommodate them. But if we do not have space we can also encourage them that in outlets they can open a similar market. Kakunta Madam I found you here at Lusaka Tuesday market. Why do you come here? Kulkhani Because we can get all things at one place you know and it is very reasonable price and people we know so long, almost fifteen, sixteen years they are coming and selling it here. So they are like our friends and they are bringing all things to us, you know. Kakunta Do you like the products? Kulkhani We like the products. It is a quality product you know. What we want, that is, we are getting it here. This is convenient. This is centralised. We are working people so we are getting half days and we are coming here and marketing at a time. We can get groceries also, you can get vegetables also. You can get your show pieces like crafting. Everything we can get it here. Safety wise also, parking is good, everything is ok. So we do not have to worry, you know. Kakunta Most people believe that farmers are underpaid for their products. Do you think the farmers here are getting value for their product? Kulkhani They are getting value for the product, and mostly people they are coming, it is all people, I will say Indians, Zambians, all white people, everybody comes here you know. Kakunta Thank you so much and you names, Madam? Kulkhani My name is Mrs Kulkhani. Kakunta Thank you so much, it has been a pleasure. End of track
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| Format: | Audio biblioteca |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation
2008
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| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/57240 |
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