Livestock, Horticulture Development Project launched

The government of The Gambia, in collaboration with International Fund for Agriculture Development on Monday 15th March launched the Livestock and Horticulture Development Project, at the Paradise Suites Hotel in Kololi.

Speaking at the occasion, the Deputy Minister of Agriculture Momodou S Kah described the occasion as yet another development project under the auspicious of IFAD for the benefits of all Gambians, especially women and youths.

Kah expressed government's untiring efforts towards realising the objectives of Vision 2020, the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper and Millennium Development Goals, which he added, aim at improving the welfare of all Gambians.

According to the Minister, the International Fund for Agricultural Development IFAD and the African Development Bank are each contributing US$8m and US$6m, respectively, while the government of The Gambia and project beneficiaries contributed about 15 percent of the global sum. He said the project would scale up the project activities to cover the entire country.

For his part, IFAD Country Programme Manager Leopold Sarr said IFAD pays special attention to the poor and the vulnerable. He said IFAD is focusing on the rural poor in order to enhance their capacities to grow and sell more food, increase incomes and eradicate poverty in line with the country's Vision 2020, PRSP II and the MDGS.

According to Sarr, IFAD's mutual working relationship with The Gambia had created an impact in the development of agriculture through various projects.

Other speakers included the Project Director, Lamin Sanyang who gave an overview of the Livestock, Horticulture Development Project. The Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture, Dr. Amadou Sowe, chaired the occasion.