The West African Agricultural Productivity Programme (WAAPP) recently donated office equipment to the National Agricultural Research Institutes (NARI) and the Department of Agriculture.
The items presented included computers, UPS, executive seats, cupboards, office refrigerators, chairs, conference tables, motorcycles, digital cameras, and printers.
Speaking at the handing-over ceremony of the equipment, WAAPP country coordinator Sheikh Tijan Sosseh said the handing-over of the equipment to the Department of Agriculture and NARI marked another milestone in the implementation of the WAAPP.
Sosseh noted that the purpose of providing the office equipment to the beneficiaries was to strengthen their various programmes relevant to the implementation of the WAAPP.
According to him, the WAAPP is funded by the World Bank with the support of the Spanish government to strengthen the implementation of ECOWAP.
He said the global project objective is to generate and accelerate the adoption of technologies in participating countries.
He also used the occasion to highlight some of the activities the WAAPP has been engaged in and the achievements it has registered so far.
For his part, the director general of NARI, Dr Babou Jobe, expressed delight and appreciation about the items donated to his office.
He said the gesture would boost their working condition and improve their overall output.
The acting-director of the Department of Agriculture, Musa Huma, spoke at length on the importance of teamwork in the implementation of agricultural projects in the country.
“It is only teamwork that can help us to raise the agenda of agriculture at a higher height for the purpose of self-food sufficiency,” he said.
He urged the beneficiaries to utilise the donated items, saying it would go a long way in creating an environment conducive for their workplaces.
Speaking on behalf of the World Bank, the liaison officer in The Gambia, Dr Alieu Badara Joof, said the WAAPP is a ten-year project, but the second phase will be determined by the first five years of implementation.
He also emphasised the need for teamwork among the various agricultural project officials and staff.
The permanent secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Alpha Marong, hailed the management of the WAAPP for the intervention.
He then used the occasion to advise the beneficiaries to make the best use of the donated items, adding that it would go a long way in strengthening their institutional operation.
