Tripartite protocol agreement on management of livestock watering facilities signed

Sustainable Management of Endemic Ruminant Livestock in West Africa (PROGEBE Gambia project), Department of Livestock Service and Kerr Omar Water Management Committee recently signed a 5-page with 10 articles tripartite protocol agreement document on management of livestock watering facilities in Niamina East, at a ceremony held at Kerewan Touray Village, Niamina East district, Central River Region south.

The signing ceremony, which was administered by Momodou Lamin Ceesay, the national expert for natural resources management for PROGEBE, was authenticated by the district head chief, Alhagie Kebba Touray.

The agreement was signed by Dr. Famara Bulli Sanyang, the National Coordinator on behalf of PROGEBE Gambia project, Dr. Kebba Daffeh of the Department of Livestock Services, and Alhagie Bakary Mbye of Kerr Omar Daho, on behalf of the Water Management Committee.

PROGEBE is a six-year project being implemented in The Gambia, Guinea Conakry, Mali, and Senegal, with funding from the Global Environmental Facility (GEF), the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the governments of the participating countries.

The objective of the project is to promote the development of trypanotolerant livestock breeding on a sustainable basis, with a view to reducing poverty and improving the income of livestock breeders and other actors within the endemic ruminant value chain, according to officials.

Shortly before the signing ceremony, Dr. Famara Bulli Sanyang, the National Coordinator for PROGEBE Gambia, said the protocol agreement clearly stated the roles and responsibilities of each party.

Noting that one of the key obligations of the project was to provide the boreholes and water facilities for the targeted communities, he urged the beneficiaries to ensure its sustainability for durability purpose.

The Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture, Sheriff Bojang hailed the Government of The Gambia for the initiative. He said the Government of The Gambia has produced blueprints to address issues, including the livestock sector.

Dr. Kebba Daffeh, the Director of Animal Health at the Department of Livestock Services spoke at length on the importance of sustaining the water facilities for the interest of the livestock sub-sector.

He said going by records there are 400, 000 cattle in the country, which he said, is equivalent to D4 billion, out of which 35% are in Central River Region.

For his part, Dr. Momodou Mustapha Jaw, PROGEBE’s Regional Coordinator hailed the local communities for their cooperation during the construction of borehole and other watering facilities.

He said the communities with technical support from the partners should map out strategies to sustain the borehole and even reproduce another one.

Modou Lamin Jagne, the Deputy Governor for CRR, said projects come and go but with PROGEBE project, even if the project phases out, the borehole and other watering facilities will still be here and will be monitored by livestock services.

He emphasized the need for the beneficiaries to properly manage and use the borehole and other watering facilities for the interest of sustainability.

The chief of Niamina East district Seyfo Kebba Touray, who spoke on the importance of PROGEBE intervention in his district, said as leaders they always ensure the furtherance of the aims and objectives of their projects.

Alhagie Bakary Mbye, the President of Kerr Omar Daho Water Management Committee said at the level of the committee, it has been agreed that beneficiary communities make a monthly contribution for safe-keeping.