By Omar Bah
President Adama Barrow has renewed his government’s commitment to achieve its objective of a Gambia free from hunger as he launches a US$80 million agriculture project on Tuesday.
The Roots project, named in memory of the immortalised Black American slave, Kunta Kinteh, specifically targets women and youths for effective and profitable participation in rice and vegetable value change. The project funds which are US$4 million loan and US$76 million grant, will improve private and public sector partnership.
“There is consensus that agriculture is the backbone of sustainable rural development and wealth generation in The Gambia. With this conviction my government recognises agricultural development and modernisation as the gateway to employment creation and poverty reduction in rural Gambia,” he said.
The Gambian leader said he is aware of the enormous challenges facing the agricultural sector.
“These challenges have been amplified further by the negative effects of climate change and its threat to livelihood. The Gambia is one of the countries that are more vulnerable to the effect of climate change. In recognition of this, my government is fully committed to supporting and promoting initiatives of climate change adaptation and resilience,” he said.
Minister’s views on the project
Amie Fabureh, the minister of agriculture, said the project will address a lot of challenges and gaps in the agricultural sector.
“The project will affect all the five administrative regions in the country, targeting at least 39 districts within the highest poverty rate, directly benefit 40,000 vulnerable households involving about 320,000 people targeting smallholder farmers, female and youth farmers from the ages of 18 to 35 and people with disability,” she said.
She said 80% of the beneficiary will be women farmers with the other 20% youths.
The Roots project overarching goals, she added, is to improve food security, nutrition, smallholder farmers and resilience to climate change in the Gambia.
Finance minister Mambury Njie said the president is committed to addressing the country’s national socio-economic challenges in a respectful, responsive, responsible, effective and efficient manner.
“This project will support targeted investment in infrastructure, technical and organisational capacity of farmer organisations. It is worth noting that solutions being persuaded through this project are anchored on revitalised efforts to rebuild political and economic relations with The Gambia’s traditional partners while cultivating and consolidating our collaboration with emerging and known partners,” he said.
