Fish traders in the port city of Kismayo are pooling their savings to build a shared cold storage facility, hoping to reduce the amount of fish that spoils in the heat before it can be sold.

The cooperative, made up of boat owners and women who sell fish at the local market, said that without refrigeration much of the day's catch must be sold within hours, often at low prices. Ice is available but expensive and not always reliable.

Reaching inland markets

Members say chilled storage would let them collect fish over several days and send larger, fresher loads to inland towns, where demand for fish is growing but supply is irregular. "If we can keep the fish cold, we can choose when to sell instead of selling at any price," said a woman who has traded fish for many years.

The facility will run on a mix of grid power and solar panels to keep costs down. The cooperative is also planning training on hygiene and handling, so that its fish can meet the standards demanded by hotels and restaurants.

Fishermen said a reliable buyer would also encourage them to fish more carefully, avoiding young fish that fetch low prices. The cooperative wants to keep records of each catch so that members can see how much they earn over the season.

Local officials have welcomed the project and said they would look at improving the road to the landing site, which becomes difficult to use during the rains.

This is demo content for testing the Warar website. It is not a real news report.