By Tabora Bojang
Agriculture Minister Demba Sabally has informed the National Assembly that groundnut production in the country has decreased in the current trade season.
He attributed the drop in yields to a declining rainfall pattern and poor quality seeds kept by farmers themselves.
Asked by Central Baddibu lawmaker Sulayman Saho whether in these circumstances government intends to compensate farmers, MinisterSabally replied: “To clarify, we don’t compensate farmers, we support them. A nationwide assessment has been conducted jointly by the Office of the President, the Ministry of Agriculture and National Disaster Management Agency and we are working with the Food and Agriculture Organisation FAO and World Bank to bring relief to the farmers in preparation for the coming season.”
The minister disclosed that groundnut yield per kilo, per hectare has decreased by 14 percent . “There was a 21- day dry spell and poor quality farmer owned seeds were sewn,” he said.
The Member for Lower Saloum Sainey Jawara too asked what plans his ministry would put in place to avert low yields in the future.
Minister Sabally replied: “I don’t know if it failed woefully; that is your own description. For us as a government, we know statistically groundnut production has gone down by 14 percent. Whether 14 percent represent a woeful season is subjective. An assessment has been conducted to establish the cause and there have been so many factors attributed, such as farmer’s own seeds. Farmer’s tend to keep their own seeds and over time they do degenerate. . Our intention now is to work with our donor partners to supply farmers with high yield, disease resistant seeds for the next farming season,” the minister said.
