Agriculture and food security top the list. From rice irrigation, mechanisation and agro-food processing and technology transfer, there is hope that when this agreement is fully harnessed, The Gambia can easily turn its challenges into endless opportunities.
A nation cannot boast of full independence when it continues to depend on foreign nations to meeting its food needs. Also, we cannot talk about development while our farmers continue to suffer serious hardship before and even after their produces are harvested.
Indonesia is not a donor that lectures. It is a fellow Muslim-majority, developing nation that has solved part of its food problem. From rice self-sufficiency drives in the 80s to a massive SME and ‘halal’ industry today, Indonesia understands what it takes to feed large population and still export.
That is exactly the type of experience we need. This Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation (JCBC) is therefore a move in the right direction in a broader move of bolstering South-South Cooperation.
As part of the agreement, the JCBC will work through the Agriculture Rural Farmers Training Centre.
It is high time countries embraced agriculture mechanisation to boost research and value addition. This initiative will also help in opening doors in vital areas such as education, SMEs development and even ‘halal’ products, as Indonesia is a global player.
It only takes careful approach and pragmatic ways to innovate and make this whole project work. For instance, we need to invest in farms in the Central River Region by digging more canals, install pumps and harvesters during the dry season.
As an expert in lowland rice irrigation, The Gambia can take cue from first initiating small-scale irrigation in piloted hectares in parts of the Central and Upper River Regions - two regions that can feed the whole Gambian when the abundant arable land is harnessed fully.
Growing rice is step one. Milling, packaging, branding “Made in The Gambia” rice is step two. Indonesia can help with agro-processing tech and access to penetrate the global markets.
In addition, our groundnuts, cashew, fish, and hibiscus can go into that market - if we meet standards. Let the business-to-business exchanges start now, not “later”.
Thus, the launch of the Indonesian Alumni Association and the engagement with UTG is another promising part of this communiqué.
Scholarships, exchange programs, and joint research must be funded and tracked. Every Gambian student in Indonesia should come back with a contract to teach others.
It’s time we embraced agriculture mechanisation and innovation to eradicate hunger.