Due to the growing and fast development trends, not food farmers in the rural centre can supply food to the urban centres.
It is in the news that the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) recently handed over an assortment of gardening inputs and tools to women farmers in Bakoteh, Kerr Serign and Bakau Old Cape Point Road.
The items procured are worth over half a million dalasis. The intervention will greatly support the Gambia’s implementation of the International Year of Fruits and Vegetables 2021, the Decade for Action 2021 – 2030 as well as the Agenda 2030.
In many developed and even middle income countries, government gives access to farmers to be able to feed the nation. This in turn increases their production capacity to even produce high quality food not only for national consumption, but for overseas market.
With the development and establishment of proper storage facilities around big rural centres, some rural farmers would want to stay in their communities with storage facilities and sell their produce in their own communities.
It is no hidden secret that many countries especially those in urban centres face many challenges in accessing food to feed its growing population. There is need for more investment by government and partners in the country’s food production chain.
We therefore commend the FAO for the generosity. These items will not only empower our women farmers, but it will also make them sustainable producers thus contributing to improve their livelihoods and nutrition status.
Let’s not forget that boosting agricultural development is one of the surest ways to ensure self dependence. A nation cannot be independent while its population largely depends on foreign rations to feed.
Once again, we thank FAO for the support. We hope more development partners will come on board to support women farmers. This will significantly boost their production capacity and improve their livelihoods.