By Fatou Bojang
Farmers and fishermen in The Gambia’s North Bank Region are returning to their trades with renewed confidence after receiving critical agricultural and fishing support from ActionAid International The Gambia (AAITG).
More than 75 rural residents many of whom had abandoned farming or fishing due to lack of tools, illness, or financial hardship are regaining their livelihoods following a major support initiative by AAITG.
The package, distributed in Upper Niumi, included cheques for farming equipment, fishing gear, and seedlings aimed at restoring productivity ahead of the 2025 farming season.
Among those restarting their work is Kara Abdoulie Darboe, who had given up farming because he lacked proper equipment.
With a D35,000 cheque from AAITG, Darboe says he is finally able to return to the fields. “I used to plow with a hoe, but I stopped,” he explained. “Now I can buy equipment and farm again.”
Former fisherman Mamadi Jobe shared a similar story, forced to quit fishing due to illness and inadequate gear, Jobe now plans to buy a boat and resume his trade.
“Before, I couldn’t go far to fish, but now I can,” he said.
Saikou Darboe, AAITG’s Program Manager for Juffereh, said the initiative is designed to enhance resilience and fight poverty in rural communities. “This is part of our work to address exclusion and climate challenges while promoting agroecology,” he said.
Karamo Minteh, Regional Director of Agriculture, encouraged farmers to seek technical guidance from agricultural agencies.
The intervention comes at a time when many rural Gambians continue to face climate impacts, limited resources, and poor access to modern tools factors that have forced some to abandon their traditional livelihoods.
By providing equipment and inputs, AAITG is helping rebuild self-reliance and strengthen food security in one of the country’s most vulnerable regions.
As preparations for the 2025 farming season begin, the initiative is setting the stage for increased production, revived livelihoods, and renewed hope across the North Bank Region.
