Rural Development Organization, a community-based organization, recently concluded a two-day capacity development training for 15 vegetable garden committees on record keeping, crop protection, best horticultural practices and marketing methods.
Speaking on the occasion held in Farafenni, North Bank Region (NBR), Jamu Ceesay, Chief Executive Officer of Rural Development Organisation (RDO), said the association attaches great importance to enhancing capacity of farmers and garden committees on horticultural practices to increase production and productivity.
The training was part of efforts at strengthening capacity of farmers on vegetable production and making it year round production for the communities of Chamen, Jumansarba and Dutabulu, he said.
The RDO boss applauded vegetable growers for adoption of agricultural practices and called on them to be proactive.
Ali Njie, agricultural officer at Farafenni, lauded the role of the RDO in complementing the efforts of the department of agriculture in enhancing capacity of farmers on vegetable production.
Effective vegetable nursery management and timely planting by farmers would increase production and boost income, he said.
The agricultural officer used the moment to remind farmers to promote staggering and proper spacing of plant, saying it would contribute to food security, quality production and improved marketing.
Momodou Bah and Mariama Conteh of Chamen both thanked the project providers for setting up vegetable gardens and developing capacity of farmers on vegetable production, saying it would increase income and nutritional uptake, as well as alleviate poverty.
Penda Sowe, president of Dutabulu women vegetable garden, and Sutay Jadama of Jumansarba, both said capacity development on effective management of vegetable garden has been enhancing their knowledge and skills on land preparation and marketing.
The community’s representatives hailed the project for providing them with improved seed, water and fencing materials, adding that it had also enhanced production and productivity.
Topics discussed at the training centred on horticulture production, different types of vegetable cycle and types of vegetables for second cycle, functions and roles of garden committees, fertilizer application, record keeping, crop protection, weeding methods, and fertilizer application.
