(Issue, Friday 27 March 2015)
The Agency for the Development of Women and Children (ADWAC) with support from ActionAid International The Gambia recently held an interface and planning meeting with members of Albreda and Jimbana Bolong Ecozone committees to review progress in the implementation of Margret, a Cargill Foundation project.
The activity was held in Albreda village Upper Nuimi district in the North Bank Region, and the purpose was to engage beneficiaries, partners and to share experience on best practices, share lessons learnt and challenges in the implementation of women’s access to improved seeds, labour saving devices and food security.
Faburama Fofana, project officer of ADWAC, in a powerpoint presentation said the forum aimed to promote community participation, good governance, accountability on project funds, and ensure timely implementation of project activities.
The project is as a result of the 2011 relief assistance in response to crop failure, he added.
Lamin Jarju, coordinator of LRP 9 of ADWAC, thanked the two eco-zone committees for their commitment and support, adding that it served as the main entry point for all development programmes for the cluster of villages within each eco-zone.
He said the project facilitates women-led vulnerability analysis using participatory methodologies, such as reflection action to assess disaster and climate change risks.
The programme would enhance household’s preparedness to respond to disaster through provision of training.
The eco-zone committees would be empowered to carry out procurement and distribution of farm inputs to serve as a revolving fund to boost production and productivity.
He spoke of building the capacity at community level, and for local authorities to develop all-inclusive plans for risk reduction and building resilience system using the human rights based approach HRBA to development.
Also of increasing women’s access to finance, citing saving and credit schemes to improve production and market linkages for better income generation.
The project is implemented in the six communities of Pakau Njogu, Pakau Saloum, Juffureh, Mademba Kunda, Touba Kolong and Mbakang of Local Program Area 9 in Upper Nuimi.
The beneficiary communities applauded Margret, a Cargill Foundation, through ActionAid International The Gambia, for contributing immensely to socio economic development of rural farmers in Upper Nuimi, citing the provision of seeds to enhance food production, education of their children, diversifying to sesame beans as a strategy to mitigate climate change effects, and water conservation techniques.
Saikou Bah, community development assistant at Sitanunku, called on the committees to be more proactive in advocating for community participation in acquisition of life skills.
