By Maimuna Sey-Jawo
The Minister of Agriculture has disclosed that the agriculture mix farming centre across the country will be revitalised with a view to supporting Gambian farmers.
The centres, Omar Jallow said, will be rehabilitated and borehole will be available as soon as possible. He acknowledged the fact that this year fertilizer was late, something he described as a result of the past political crisis, thus assured rural farmers that fertilizer will be made available to them early next year before the raining season starts.
The agric minister made these remarks while responding to concerns raised by farmers during a meeting in Mankamang Kunda in the Jimara District of URR. The meeting was also attended by Aja Juma Jallow president Barrow’s mother.
Minister Jallow thus urged the farmers to redouble their efforts as the new government is ready to help them and restore Agriculture to where it was particularly during the first republic.
For her part, the regional Governor of the Upper River Region Fatou Jammeh-Touray spoke at length on the significance of the tour, while describing it as timely, adding that it will avail him the opportunity to meet farmers and get first hand information on some of top challenges and constraints they are encountering.
Governor Jammeh called on the agric minister to support farmers in the region, saying that URR is among the regions in the country that takes the lead toward agricultural production.
Speaking on behalf of the village Alkali Alhagie Baldeh expressed gratitude to OJ and his team for their timely visit, adding that it will enable farmers to discuss ways of improving agricultural production in the country.
Baldeh noted that since the fall of their mix farming centre agriculture is going backward in the community. “The centre was very significant in our community when it was up and running. Farmers use the centre as research purposes and train other farmers on farming activities and its related issues”.
He called on the agric minister to help and revitalise the centre, thus urging the community to embark on forestation in order to replace the lost trees in the forest, saying that it is the only way we can get enough rains.
