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Sustainable agricultural development training of trainers wraps up

Oct 12, 2012, 3:23 AM | Article By: Abdoulie Nyockeh

A three-day training of trainers on sustainable agricultural development on Wednesday wrapped up at the Wellingara Model Horticulture Centre.
The training of trainers was attended by participants from different farmer organizations, and was organized by National Alliance for Food Security, NAFS, and IFSN-ActionAid International.
The training course was gear toward strengthening participant’s knowledge on the introduction process of agricultural concepts and principles of sustainable agriculture, integrated farming systems in The Gambia and beyond, low external input in agriculture and organic farming.
The training session also took the participants through soil fertility management, and soil conservation, among others.
In her closing remarks, the board chairperson of International Food Security Network, IFSN, Marie Adams, stressed the importance attached to the three-day training of trainers’ course.
According to her, the training was geared toward bringing participants together to discuss sustainable agricultural development.
She said the purpose of the training was for participants to look into issues that are of benefit to the Gambian farmers in the improvement of agricultural farming systems in The Gambia.
According to her, the focus of IFSN is strengthening civil society, and farmer organizations to talk about the issue of agriculture, enhance their capacity, embark on advocacy and lobbying  in terms of reminding government or other duty bearers  about programs that are favourable to farmers .
Dawda Kujabi, in a word of wisdom to the participants, said that the importance attached to this forum cannot be overemphasized as far as agriculture was concerned.
He also challenged the participants to filter the information to the grassroots level in the best interest of the entire farming community. 
Alieu Sowe, the coordinator of NACOFAG, described the three days of training as very essential  for the country’s farmers.
He thanked the participants for their active involvement, and urged them to disseminate the information to members of their farmer organizations.