By Aji Fatou Faal
The Gambia Standards Bureau (GSB) has recently trained sixty producers & MSMEs in agriculture and fisheries on quality and standards for increase access to international markets held at the GSB office in Fajara.
The training was mainly focused on Gambian Hygiene Standard which is funded by Enhanced Integrated Framework at the Ministry of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment (MOTIE).
The training was divided into two sets: the first set of 30 enterprises and producers in the fisheries sector were trained in two days and the second set 30 producers and enterprises in the agriculture sector were also trained in two days respectively.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, Papa Secka, director general of Gambia Standards Bureau thanked and recognized the director of Industries at the MOTIE for overseeing the closing ceremony and further thanked the Ministry through the EIF Tier project for providing the funds to conduct these two trainings.
He noted that this is the most important trainings they have ever conducted because they are given the tools, skills and knowledge to be able to ensure that food is safe and of the right quality and exposure. According to him, as humans they need food and water to survive so he considered these types of trainings or skill transfers as the most important work of the Bureau.
“People eat safe food, become healthy and being healthy means less resource is spent on the health care system. We have given you main skills and techniques and some of their experiences that they gathered within themselves and from the trainers which is called pre-requisite programme to be able to provide safe food,” he said.
Hassan Gaye, director of industries at MOTIE, said the new government is very particular about industrialization and they are trying to support their vision so that they can be able to export. He assured them that they would continue to support.
Sulayman Sait Mboob, Chairman/CEO Kombo Dairy Farm thanked the resource persons for building their capacity, adding that the knowledge gained from the trainings would add value to their work.
Ndeye Corr, a participant, gave the vote of thanks.
