NATC sensitizes district authorities on women’s access to land

Chief Ebrima Ansu Tamba Jammeh was speaking in Illiassa recently at a district sensitization activity on the land rights campaign, to advocate for landowners and district authorities to support women to have access and control over productive land, for vegetable production.

He declared the district’s full support to the campaign, and called on landowners to be vigilant in providing land to women.

Chief Jammeh noted that all land transfers would be authenticated by him to ascertain ownership, while he called on development partners to support the marketing of farm produce of farmers to enhance their income.

Chief Jammeh said organizations and institutions should support existing gardens owned by women to be strengthened rather looking for new areas, as land is scarce.

Salieu Samba, advocacy officer at Njawara Agricultural Training Centre, commended the Solidarity for Agriculture SOLIDAGRO, a Belgian international NGO, for funding the project implemented by his agency and ADWAC, to enhance vegetable production, sanitation, poultry, and small ruminant productions, as well as 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 to the Kerewan Area Council to legalize ownership.

Ndey Adam Sanyang, ADWAC women rights coordinator, said young women should be given the opportunity to attend meetings on issues geared toward the advancement of women and girls.

She said both NATC and ADWAC are implementing literacy classes at the community level and, therefore, women should make best use of the opportunity to enhance their potential.

She lauded women for their contribution to food production and socio economy development at all levels, and challenged alkalolu to provide productive land for ownership.

Batch Samba Njie of Agriculture commended NATC and ADWAC for their foresight in complementing the department of Agriculture’s work in enhancing food production and diversification.

He said landowners should provide fertile land to women to increase production, and have easy access markets and determine their own prices.

Lamin Manneh of Kerewan Area Council informed alaklolu about the process of transferring land to women, and noted that people and institutions should apply for a permit from the council before any construction takes place.

He said it is prudent on communities to preserve reserve land for the future development of their communities, adding that the council would facilitate timely registration of land.

Speaking on behalf of the alkalolu, Kebba Bah of Yuna Angalleh and Abdou Jagne, representative of the alkalo of Farafenni, thanked NATC for the support to food security.

The community leaders gave assurance to support women by providing land to enhance food production and incomes, and called on the agency to support the marketing of vegetables.