President Yahya Jammeh Friday renewed his clarion call on all Gambians to embrace farming and promote economic growth, to eliminate hunger in the country.
President Jammeh was speaking at State House during the presentation of farm produce from his farms across the country by regional governors.
He said last year’s crop failure was a clear indication of the need for Gambians to be self-reliant and work hard for food self -sufficiency.
The Upper River Region presented 95 bags, Central River Region 158 bags, West Coast Region 489 bags, North Bank Region 937 bags and Lower River Region 65 bags, of various varieties of crops.
While commending Gambian farmers for their hard work, President Jammeh renewed his call for Gambians to grow what they eat and eat what they grow, in to be healthy and ensure food self-sufficiency.
While urging farmers to prepare for the next farming season, Jammeh announced that fertilizer of the best quality is available in the country, and will be given to farmers to boost agricultural production.
Presenting the farm produce on behalf of their people, the governors of the various regions, namely Alhaji Omar Khan of URR, Ganyie Touray of CRR, Lamin Darboe of LRR, Lamin Queen Jammeh of NBR and Lamin Sanneh of the WCR lamented last year’s crop failure, which they said affected production across the country.
However, they noted that despite the crop failure, they were able to produce some crops for the president. The regional governors assured the Gambian leader of their region’s readiness to always pay heed to his back-to-the-land call, while commending him for the support given to their various regions.
Solomon Owens, minister of Agriculture, also lamented last year’s crop failure, but commended the people of all the regions across the country for their move.
He assured the farmers that the government is making all efforts to provide them with the necessary farming tools and fertilizer, for this year’s farming season.
According to him, government is expecting high quality farm seeds and fertilizer from
The secretary general and head of the civil service, Njogu Bah, said the presentation of farm produce to President Jammeh symbolised the President’s call on people to go back to the land.
According to him, President Jammeh’s call was meant to attain food self-sufficiency, because farming is the only way ahead for Gambians, adding that the President did not make the call for people to grow food and give to him, but for their own benefit.
Other speakers at the ceremony included the chiefs of Kiang West and Jokadou, Omar Gibba and Jim Fatma Jobe, respectively, the paramount chief Demba Sanyang, among others.
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