For the average family in Serrekunda, Banjul, Bakau, Brikama, Farafenni, Kartong,Basse or Koina, food inflation is not merely an economic statistic. It is the painful reality of paying more for rice, sugar, cooking oil, onions, fish, bread, vegetables, and transport. It means mothers returning from the market with fewer items despite spending more money. It means workers finding their salaries exhausted long before the month ends. It means many families quietly skipping meals or reducing nutritional quality simply to cope.
Mr President, food inflation hits the poor the hardest because a significant proportion of household income in The Gambia is spent on food. Unlike wealthier households, low-income earners have little financial cushion. A rise in prices therefore immediately translates into hardship, frustration, and growing social pressure.
Several factors are contributing to this challenge. Global food supply disruptions, exchange rate pressures, transportation costs, energy prices, and climate-related agricultural constraints continue to affect import-dependent economies like The Gambia. Since the country imports much of what it consumes, any weakening of the Dalasi or increase in global commodity prices quickly impacts local markets.
However, while external shocks are real, this moment should also serve as a wake-up call for deeper structural reforms. The long-term solution cannot simply be temporary market reactions. The Gambia must aggressively pursue food sovereignty, food security and national resilience.
This is why agriculture must now be treated not merely as a rural activity, but as a national security priority. Investments in irrigation, mechanisation, seed technology, storage facilities, agro-processing, and value addition are no longer optional. The nation cannot sustainably depend on imported onions, potatoes, rice, poultry, tomatoes, and basic food items when vast agricultural potential remains underutilised.
Mr President, the Government’s YIRIWA National Development Plan already provides an important framework. What is now required is accelerated implementation with measurable impact at community level. Programmes supporting women gardeners, youth farming cooperatives, rice production schemes, fisheries, and poultry development should be expanded with urgency.
Equally important is stabilising the macroeconomic environment. Strong coordination between fiscal and monetary authorities is essential to contain inflationary pressures. Exchange rate stability, prudent public spending, improved domestic production, and efficient port and transport systems will all help reduce the cost burden on consumers.
Mr President, the ordinary Gambian is resilient and patient. But resilience should not be mistaken for comfort. Behind every inflation figure are real human struggles — taxi drivers battling fuel and food costs, civil servants struggling with rent and school fees, market vendors facing declining purchasing power, and youths increasingly uncertain about economic opportunities.
The challenge of food inflation must therefore become a collective national mission. If managed wisely, this difficult moment can become the catalyst for transforming The Gambia into a more productive, self-reliant, and food-secure nation.
Good Day!