FAO handovers garden materials to Sita Nunku, Mbolet Bah

The people of Sita Nunku village in Nuimi and Mbulet Ba last Tuesday received farm seeds, fertiliser and other materials under the Central Emergency Relief Fund Project.

The gesture was in response to the 2010 heavy downpour of rains and flood that affected many communities in the country including Sita Nunku.

The presentation at the North Bank Village was attended by senior officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and the FAO.

Speaking at the handing-over ceremony, Dr Babagana Ahmadu, FAO Representative in the Gambia, thanked the people of Sita Nunku village for the warm welcome accorded them.

He said that in 2010 the Gambia experienced heavy rains from mid July through to September resulting in flooding and causing extensive damage to crop and livestock.

He said that on 7 September 2010, the Gambia government declared a state of emergency and the Vice President of the Republic of The Gambia made an international appeal in support of the victims.

 In response to the government declaration, the Ministry of Agriculture requested assistance from FAO for technical and financial support to participate in a multi-sector rapid joint assessment organized party by the UN system to determine the needs of people affected by the floods and to make an informed decision on the most appropriate type and scale of response.
Dr Babagana furthered explained that the Department of Agriculture and FAO staff with technical assistance from the Department of Water Resources and some committee members of the garden schemes, have identified and hired contractors that will work under supervision to rehabilitate the collapsed wells and fences in the garden.

Mariatou Njie, Programme Manager at the FAO, expressed her gratitude to the people of Sita Nunku and also thanked the FAO Representative for his wonderful effort and support.

She called on the villagers to be united and work as a team. Madam Njie also advises the women to judiciously use the garden materials so that they can benefit a lot from it.

Amie Fabureh, Deputy Director, Horticulture, thanked the FAO team for their support, adding that without a proper research, scheme would not have come to fruition happened.

"This set of garden materials is for the village women," she said, adding that the FAO gives out the materials free; "so is better you take it seriously".

He said: "The reason we bring these seeds is for you to work both during the dry season and rainy season."

Amie Fabureh also advised the women of Sita Nunku to put the materials into good use.

Dr Sait Drammeh, Director General of Agriculture, expressed similar sentiments at the handing-over ceremony.

From Sita Nunku, the team continued to Mbollet Ba village where the same garden materials were distributed.