The
15th Policy Dialogue on National Development Plan, 2017-2020, and national
related policies for civil society organisations yesterday kicked off at TANGO
conference hall.
The
2-day forum organised by TANGO and funded by the Global Environment Facility
(GEF) was to serve as a platform for information exchange to influence
government policies at both national and local levels.
Issues
discussed during the forum included agricultural policy in comparison to
sustainable agricultural practices, climate change policy on agricultural
production and productivity towards economic development, and national action
programme for combating desertification, land degradation and drought.
The
executive director of TANGO, Ousman Yabo, said the dialogue would further
support and complement government’s development efforts in the drive to create
better national policies and programmes.
He
noted that TANGO has been engaged in a series of policy dialogue because civil
societies want to be at the same level with government, but also to help
government address gabs on national development.
GEF
country coordinator, Kebba Bojang, said CSO and government dialogue platforms
are needed to create a bridge linking grassroots organisations to local and
national planning processes.
“This
bridge is vital to building trust and promoting a cordial working environment
between CSOs and government in addressing environmental challenges and
achieving sustainable development,” he said.
Mr
Bojang said the GEF Small Grants Programme began grant making in The Gambia in
2009 and has since then provided close to US$2.4 to about 85 different projects
across the country.
The
projects have brought about “considerable successes” in addressing critical
environmental challenges and positively affected the lives of the local
populations particularly the marginalised ones, he said.
