At
least ninety students of The Gambia College in Brikama have benefited from a
three-day intensive training on food processing, packaging and other practices
to boost agricultural production and productivity.
The
convergence which was held over the weekend, was organised by Empowering
Agricultural Youth Development Association (EAYDA), with funding from the
National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.
The
training targets youth, particularly Gambia College agriculture students to
coach them on food processing, packaging and using home ground agricultural
farm products, ranging from wonjo, ginger, groundnut and pepper.
Burry
Tunkara the association coordinator, expressed appreciation for the interest
the participants show by exceeding the targeted number from 70 to 90 students.
She
said that shows the interest and commitment the students have demonstrated
towards the Association.
According
to her, the purpose of the training was to empower the youth to become
self-sufficient, reliance and develop their capacity in acquiring useful
knowledge in order to enhance meaningful contribution to national development.
He said it also targets to discourage irregular migration.
Gambia
College principal, Abubacarr Jallow said
home grown farm produce is what The Gambia has been lacking, saying most of the
time, farmers sell the raw produce without adding any value and would
consequently get lesser price in the sale.
He
said value addition food processing is very important because its processing
period take lesser time and lesser effort than the production period.
According
to the College principal, it is important for agriculture students to start
thinking about the transformative process of changing raw materials into
valuable products that can be sold not only in the local markets, but also
outside The Gambia.
Mr
Jallow commended the Association for their steadfastness in organising the
training to eradicate poverty in the country. He challenged the students to
start the process of selling at the school of agriculture.
