By Aminata Kuyateh
The Crab Island TVET Foundation, in collaboration with the National Accreditation and Quality Assurance Authority (NAQAA), on Wednesday commenced a three-day standards and curriculum development workshop on tree nursery management and conservation.
The event, which brought together officials from the Department of Agriculture, the National Environment Agency (NEA), the Department of Forestry, Parks and Wildlife, as well as technical experts and development partners, aims to design the country’s first national curriculum in tree nursery management and conservation.
In his welcoming remarks, Ousman Sillah, the Chairperson of the Crab Island TVET Foundation noted that the initiative comes at a critical moment when deforestation and environmental degradation threaten The Gambia’s ecosystem.
He highlighted that 25 youths are already enrolled in a nine-month pilot training on the subject, supported by international partners.
The former Banjul North NAM added that the new curriculum would ensure the program is standardised under NAQAA’s framework.
NEA Executive Director Dr Dawda Badjie stressed the urgency of the initiative, warning that environmental degradation has reached alarming levels, with more than 95,000 hectares of land classified as degraded. “No tree, no life,” he said, cautioning that future generations risk inheriting nothing if conservation efforts are not strengthened.
NAQAA Chief Executive Officer Dr Muhammad Tarro described the workshop as “both timely and necessary,” adding that it reflects the kind of innovation training providers should pursue. He pledged the authority’s support to ensure quality and relevance in the new curriculum.
The Department of Agriculture’s Deputy Director General, Mustapha Drammeh underscored the workshop’s objectives which he said is to establish a comprehensive curriculum, provide guidance to teachers and learners, identify best practices, and explore innovative technologies for sustainable tree nursery management.
