IFAD Projects More Demand-Driven

Mr. Kekoi Kuyateh, the Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture has revealed that International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) projects in The Gambia has become more demand-driven as it's increasingly developing rural poor people's participation in planning and implementation.

He made this statement while delivering his address on behalf of the government of The Gambia, at the West African Rural Foundation WARF/IFAD funded projects for Gambia, which is the first of its kind to be hosted in The Gambia. The countries that attended the programme included Ghana, Nigeria and Sierra Leone and the host country, The Gambia, with special focus on loan administration and financial management held at the Kairaba Beach Hotel.

Mr. Kuyateh noted that for the purpose of accumulating know-how and reducing the risks for failure, IFAD assisted projects in The Gambia provides for innovative pilot operation with potential for scaling up activities, such as village-based savings and credit association concept, access and water management in swamp and low land self-help groups.

These activities, he added, were tested and adopted and have been successful models for implementation in newer projects, such as the PIWAMP and RFP.

According to Mr. Kuyateh, IFAD projects in The Gambia exclusively focus in the rural areas, where poverty is widespread and prevalent. He stated that the project continues to facilitate access to invest in productive activities, increase disposable income and invest in social and economic infrastructures that help to reduce poverty in rural communities.