A
three-day forum of West African Agricultural Productivity Programme (WAAPP) 3rd
technical regional steering committee ended recently at the Kairaba Beach Hotel
in Banjul.
The
sub regional meeting which brought together participants from various ECOWAS
member states was organized by CORAF and hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture
through the Central Project Coordinating Unit (CPCU).
In delivering a speech, the permanent
secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture, Sait Drammeh, said the West Africa
Agricultural Productivity Programme (WAAAP) is a regional programme implemented
by 13 ECOWAS countries with the possibility of including new ones.
According
to him, at the 9th regional steering committee meeting held in Nigeria in
November 2016, The Gambia was selected, and unanimously supported by member
countries to host the 3rd technical meeting of regional steering committee.
He
disclosed that the Government of The Gambia through the Ministries of
Agriculture and Finance and Economic Affairs would submit an expression of
interest to the World Bank through CORAF/WECARD to be included in the planned
second phases of WAAPP to be referred to as West Africa Agricultural
Transformation Programme.
The
Government of The Gambia would like to thank CORAF/WECARD and ECOWAS for the
continued support towards its national agricultural development agenda and
called for further strengthening of the existing collaboration.
In
his statement, the Minister of Agriculture, Hon. Omar Jallow, said the
implementation of the 1st WAAPP has enabled the generation and dissemination of
improved technologies of 30 per cent increase for cereals and 20 per cent for
roots and tubers.
The
system of rice intensification research infrastructure and human capacity have
been augmented and strengthened, he said.
He
disclosed that national centers of specialisation and regional centers of
excellence have been established, adding that it has harmonized seed system for
West Africa that has enabled cross border improve seed trade to take shape.
However,
he added that, west and central Africa were still facing important challenges
with respect to providing adequate food for a growing urban population.
The
climate change phenomenon which threatens to undermine sustainability of gains
made by WAAPP added to the aforementioned makes it more complicated.
He
pointed out that this particular steering committee technical session comes at
a very important turning point for CORAF and ECOWAS in partnership with the
World Bank.
The
proposed transition from a production and productivity approach to a more
holistic West Africa Agricultural Transformation programme would enable the
next phase of the project to address the challenges along the agricultural
value chain and consolidate the emerging market linkages opened up in the first
phase of the project.
