The Resident Representative of the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) in The Gambia, Dr Babagana Ahmadu, has commended The Gambia for its efforts in advancing agriculture.
In a statement delivered Monday on his behalf by his assistant, Madam Mariatou Njie, at a one-day validation workshop of the Global Agricultural Food Security Programme (GAFSP) at the Kairaba Beach Hotel, the country FAO boss applauded The Gambia for its firm commitment and the priority it gives to agricultural development.
"The efforts being made to strengthen the natural resources development in The Gambia is a clear commitment on the side of the government," the FAO boss said at the workshop meant to validate the GAFSP for The Gambia.
To attain some of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), food security and economic development should be a priority for all, he said, hailing African countries for their efforts in committing more resources in agricultural development.
"It is against this backdrop that world leaders at the 2009 meeting of the G-8 in L' Aquila committed USD20 billion over three years for sustainable agriculture development and safety nets for vulnerable populations," he remarked.
Dr Babagana Ahmadu said that in support of the L' Aguila declaration, FAO initiated a process to assist selected countries including The Gambia in identifying and developing food security investment concept notes with a view to translating existing priorities into concrete investment programme through accessing funds under the AFASI and GAFSP.
In officially declaring the workshop open, the Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Kalifa Kambi, said the GAFSP validation workshop followed long painstaking efforts of putting together the Gambia National Agricultural Investment Programme (GNAIP).
He encouraged the participants to take the forum seriously for the betterment of agriculture while informing them of the importance government attaches to the sector.
