D330,000 FAO-sponsored food project launched in Bakau

It will be jointly implemented by the Bakau fishermen and the Department of Fisheries under the supervision of FAO.

The project proposal, initiated by Ousman Rambo Jatta, a native of Bakau, was developed and presented to the FAO Gambia office in 2012 for funding.It was approved in June 2015.

Speaking at the launch of the project, the FAO Gambia representative, Perpetual Katepa-Kalala, said the project is designed to enhance food and nutrition security, create employment and increase income for women and youth of Bakau.

“It will provide the beneficiaries with a 15-meter planked dug-out canoe with proper fishing gears and thus increasing their capacity to generate more income to pay for healthcare, housing, education and other necessities,” she said.

Madam Katepa-Kalala said the objective of the project is to reduce unemployment and poverty among the youth and women of Bakau, and enhance household incomes, food and nutrition security for improved lives and livelihood in Bakau and beyond.

The key expected results of the project are to increase youth and women participation in fishing and fish processing and marketing, and enhanced access to and consumption of both fresh and processed fish and fisheries products by the community of Bakau and others.

The FAO Gambia representative said the 15-metre planked dug-out canoe with a 40HP outboard engine and fishing materials provided under the project is an investment that is expected to generate D2 million per annul from the sale of fish.

In his official launching statement on behalf of the fisheries minister, Babanding Kanyi said The Gambia government acknowledges the support of the FAO in promoting the development of fisheries in the country.

He noted that the importance of the fisheries sector cannot be overemphasised as fishing is a source of food and employment for many actors, whether directly or indirectly.

Mr Kanyi hailed the FAO for supporting such a development-oriented project while challenging the youth to take ownership of the project because “the sustainability of the project depends on the youth”.