The
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) today signed
three letters of Agreement (LoAs) amounting to GMD6,632,374.75 (six millions,
six hundred and thirty-two thousand, three hundred and seventy-four dalasi and
seventy-five bututs) with three institutions for the implementation of specific
activities under the Action Against Deforestation Project.
The
Department of Forestry received DGM3, 658,012.55, the Agency for the
Development of Women and Children (ADWAC) received GMD933,183.20 and the
Natural Resources Consulting (NACO) received GMD2, 041,179.00.
The
forestry department also received three motor bikes over D370,000 and 2 cameras
and 3 GPS. Each institution also received a laptop to facilitate implementation.
Alagie
Manjang, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Climate Change
and Natural Resources presided over the signing ceremony at the FAO Office in
Fajara.
The
four-year EU funded Euros1.5m is being implemented the three institutions and
the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education in close partnership with FAO in
the North Bank Region and Central River and Upper River regions north.
The
overall objective of the project is to contribute to poverty alleviation, the
eradication of hunger and improving resilience to climate change, through
sustainable management of land and forest resources. The project will help to
improve the condition and productivity of the agro-sylvo-pastoral landscapes
measuring about 589, 000 hectares affected by Desertification, Land Degradation
and Drought (DLDD) in the intervention sites.
About
390,283 inhabitants within these regions (203,950 females and 186,329 males)
who depend highly on forest resources for their livelihood will benefit
directly from the project.
In
his remarks, Mr. Alagie Manjang expressed appreciation of FAO`s contributions
towards the eradication of food insecurity and poverty in the Gambia. Mr.
Manjang acknowledged the importance of the project towards the achievement of
set targets in poverty reduction and development. He also recognized the
efforts of the project implementing partners and challenged them to work
according to the governance structure and to measure up to expectations.
Dr.
Perpetua Katepa-Kalala, FAO Country Representative explained that all partners
have a critical role to play for the successful implementation of the
intervention. She encouraged them to be results oriented and to work through
the governance structures outlined in the project document. ‘‘We very much rely
on the leadership of our government partners in the project implementation’’,
she stressed, while restating FAO`s continued support at all times.
Speaking
on behalf of the Non-State actors, Kanimang Camara, Director of NACO also
lauded FAO`s ‘consistent and remarkable’ support to the Agriculture and Natural
Resources sectors over the years. He assured that they will live up to
expectations.
