Media Releases
NAMDEVCO – Health Safety Measures at Farmers Markets and other markets
Health Safety Measures at Farmers Markets and other markets
The National Agricultural Marketing and Development Corporation (NAMDEVCO) operates Farmers Markets across the country as well as Wholesale Markets at Debe and Macoya. While the Corporation has food safety and health measures in place at all its markets, specific measures have been heightened to deal with risks associated with COVID-19.
In particular, NAMDEVCO has done the following:
1. Space allocations at all Farmers Markets are being expanded and in particular areas for customers to walk and make their purchases are being widened. This would reduce the risk of crowding and human contact among customers and vendors;
2. Similarly, spacing and walking areas at the Farmers Wholesale Markets are being expanded as far as practicable to minimize human contact and to avoid crowding;
3. All vendors have been advised of the basic Public Health measures that have to be adhered to given the COVID-19 risks;
4. NAMDEVCO employees as well as Public Health officers, from the Ministry of Health would be monitoring all our facilities for adherence to these basic measures;
5. While COVID-19 is not known to be a food borne illness, NAMDEVCO is emphasizing usual good practice regarding the handling of produce throughout the food chain are essential for public health and the Corporation is taking all measures for the prevention and control of any infectious diseases;
6. Farmers are being advised that produce that is usually consumed without cooking must be bagged before being offered for sale. This includes items normally eaten raw like lettuce, kale, tomatoes,cucumbers and all fruits, whether or not the skins are consumed.
7. Vendors are required to wear masks, gloves and eyewear while handling foodstuff;
8. Customers are encouraged through appropriately placed signage to use hand sanitizer that is being made available at all facilities where sale of produce and other food products are conducted;
9. Consumers are being advised to properly wash all fruits and vegetables before consumption. We cannot overemphasize the importance of proper handwashing before, after and during food preparation activities in the home and workplace.
Alongside these measures, NAMDEVCO is in contact with its stakeholders particularly farmers. Based on NAMDEVCO’s Farm Certification and Monitoring data, approximately 1600 farms are currently in active production and a list of current food supplies based on the major food groups has been collected. Details of agricultural produce which cannot be exported are also being collected by the Corporation, so that proper marketing programmes can be set up in the domestic market.
While COVID-19 has affected the agricultural sector in some parts of the world, it also represents an opportunity to change production and business methods to adapt to new challenges and difficulties. Persons who are handling food and produce at non-NAMDEVCO markets are also being advised to make every attempt to wash their hands with soap and water every hour.
Along with the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries, the Corporation will be deploying its’ trained field officers to support the ongoing investigations and agriculture-based livelihood assessments, in its efforts to inform further response to alleviate the risks of COVID-19. We invite you to contact us through Facebook, via email and phone for any further information.
