By Lamin Cham
There are growing concern among farmers in most parts of Fulladu where heavy rains have flooded rice fields submerging crops and, in some cases, preventing harvesting.
Fulladu is among only few places in The Gambia where, the country’s stable food rice, is cultivated in large numbers.
But according to sources from the farming communities, rice field areas like Kerewan Samba Sire, Sinchu Delegas, Fulabantang, Faraba and Tabanani among other places are flooded with water from the heavy down pour. In most of these places, our source said, farmers have just transplanted their rice and run the risk of destruction from the marauding water.
One of the affected fields is Mauro Farm, a private cultivation site being developed for experimenting rice varieties for large scale production in Pacharr village.
There, the rice is ripe and ready for harvesting but all their efforts at draining the water failed as more water rushed to replace the quantities pumped out.
The National Assembly member for the area, Gibbi Mballow said he was alerted to the situation which he called an emergency.
“What I saw is pathetic because farmers are in huge distress with their rice fields under water. We are urgently calling on the intervention of government to help avert the destruction of the crops by helping the construction of a dike or canal to divert the water elsewhere, or to a reservoir where it can be reused. Imagine the case of Mauro Farm where the crop is ready for harvest but it cannot be done unless the water is pumped out,” he said.
