The Covid-19 pandemic has sent shock waves across the globe, while also reminding people about the importance of food self-sufficiency. What makes the issue even worse is the Russian invasion of Ukraine, which continues to put nations in dire consequences, especially those that depend on grains and flour.
The soaring food prices across the globe is a perfect reminder and call for nations to urgently devise means to feed their population.
Agriculture accounts for about 30 percent of The Gambia’s GDP, second largest sector in the economy, employing about 44 percent of the country’s active workforce. With a population of approximately 2 million people, this Gambia stands a good chance to exploit its abundant arable land for food self-sufficiency.
The vast expanses of farm lands both low land and upland in the Central River Region has the capacity to feed the entire population of The Gambia. But this can only materialize if there is a paradigm shift and change of approach to better ways of embracing agriculture.
It is high time the government look inroads and to find long-term solutions to our food insecurity. If the country is serious about attaining food self-sufficiency, it has to revamp and tap our existing potentials in the area of irrigation to boost the livelihoods of not only farmers, but even vulnerable communities.
It is a fact that in most countries, farmers are among the richest. But in The Gambia it is a different scenario. Smallholder farmers across the country have long cried for support but to no avail at some point.
What the government needs to do right now is to increase its funding to develop sustainable food systems that can withstand shocks such as an economic crisis or disease pandemic that cause economic paralysis.
Public Private Partnership (PPP) is another avenue government could make best use to boost the country's agric sector.
Sadly, The Gambian agriculture has been unable to respond greatly to expectation as yields remain practically stagnant and production revolves around a declining trend.
It is not gainsaying that prioritising agriculture is the only way to develop this country. And we can turn The Gambia into a leading groundnut or rice exporter if we have the right manpower, equipment and the political will.