Njawara Agricultural Training Centre (NATC) and Agency for the
Development of Women and Children (ADWAC) recently sensitized district
authorities and landowners on women’s land rights in complementing government
efforts in empowering women to have control over productive land.
The chief of Central Badibou, Alagie Jagne, expressed appreciation of the “timely and very important sensitization programme” for district authorities and landowners on women’s land rights in his district.
Chief Jagne was speaking recently in Njaba Kunda, at a district sensitization activity on the land rights campaign to advocate for landowners and district authorities to support women to have total ownership of land for vegetable production.
He announced his district’s full support to the campaign, and called on landowners to be vigilant in providing land to women.
Salieu Samba, advocacy officer at Njawara Agricultural training Centre, noted that Agriculture SOLIDAGRO is a Spanish project implemented by his agency and ADWAC to enhance vegetable production, sanitation, poultry and small ruminant production, and promote literacy.
He said if women have access and control over land, it would increase production and productivity and contribute to poverty reduction.
He noted that the project would support women in the registration of land at the Kerewan Area Council to legalize ownership.
Ndey Adam Sanyang, ADWAC Women’s Rights Coordinator, said women constitute a greater percentage on food production and called on district authorities to support this noble initiative.
She lauded women for their contribution to food production and socio economy development at all levels, and challenged alkalolu to provide productive land for women’s ownership.
The ADWAC Women’s Rights Coordinator asserted that SOLIDAGRO would continue to promote dialogue among women and land owners to ensure women have control over land.
Batch Samba Njie of Agriculture department commended NATC and ADWAC, for their foresight in complementing the department of Agriculture in enhancing food production and diversification.
He said raising public awareness on women’s access and control over land would help to have easy access to markets, and determine their own prices, adding that all land should be suitable for vegetable production, and be easy to reach.
Lamin Manneh of Kerewan Area Council noted that community should provide reserve land for future development of their communities.
He said the council would facilitate timely registration of land, and called on landowners to cooperate to accelerate the development.
Manneh applauded NATC and SOLIDAGRO for facilitating the payment at council level, noting that waiving of landowners liability to pay would enhance cooperation.
The community leaders have agreed to provide land to women and thanked NATC and ADWAC for the initiative.
