Seminar on public awareness of farmers organizations wraps up

A three-day sub-regional seminar on public awareness of farmers' organizations on the process of ECOWAS/PDDA recently ended at Niamey Niger.

The seminar that brought fifty participants to represent members of ROPPA included the Gambia, represented by the president of the National Coordination Organization of Farmers Association in The Gambia (NACOFAG), Abba S. Manneh and the project coordinator of NACOFAG in The Gambia, Alieu Sowe.

Speaking to The Point shortly after their return last Friday at the NACOFAG Office in Brikama, the project coordinator of NACOFAG, Mr Sowe, said the forum was held to discuss burning issues concerning farmers and to further broaden the ECOWAS/PDDA process.

"This seminar is aimed at enabling ROPPA to define a strategy and activities in order to ensure a good mobilization of farmers' organizations and their efficient participation for the next activities in the process of ECOWAS, PDDAA implementation," he said.

According to Mr Sowe, FAO and four international organizations such as World Bank, CFC, CCI and CNCED, will ensure the implementation of the project in all ACP farm- based products funded by the European Commission.

"Within the framework of the project FAO signed an agreement protocol with ROPPA which is the focal point in West Africa," he noted.

Mr Sowe, the project coordinator NACOFAG in The Gambia, asserted that ROPPA has to ensure the processing and dissemination of information relative to the project and to accompany the training and the animation of reflection on the themes regarding the project.

Mr Sowe stressed that within the framework of activities that are clarified in the protocol, ROPPA commissioned a study of review and analysis of PNIA/PRIS and national agricultural policies for the organization of a regional seminar of information and public awareness on the process of ECOWAP/PDDA implementation.

The seminar also focused on three areas, such as information, reflection and analysis, formulation of proposition.

He added that the seminar enlightened participants on the orientation of ROPPA for the promotion of sectors, the institutional design of ECOWAS for the implementation of ECOWAP/PDDAA.

Mr Sowe added that during the seminar the participants, notably from farmers' organizations, formulated propositions for ECOWAS, public administration and development partners aiming at strengthening the relevance of the process of PNIA/PRIA Implementation.