Dr Demba Jallow made this statement recently at the National Assembly while presenting the Animal Bill before the Joint Committee on Agriculture and Health. He said the bill would prevent people from bringing animals to The Gambia without valid documents.
“We are encouraging farmers who have the capacity to do breeding, but at the same time, encouraging our farmers by increasing the breeding value of our animals,” he said.
“We want to ensure that our local breed remains in terms of milking; as well, farmers who have the capacity of breeding are also encouraged to do more.”
Dr Jallow informed deputies that when the bill is approved, it would also help them to come with a lot of programmes and strategies to sensitise farmers and other stakeholders.
He told members that the Act for 1944 is not sufficient bylaw, adding that the enactment of the bill “will surely help” livestock farmers to do their work effectively.
“When it comes to livestock assistance, this bill doesn’t talk about that, because that’s the mandate of the livestock service to ensure that at least, we have enough livestock farmers in this country,” he clarified.
“The concern of farmers and the country at large in terms of disease control, food safety, climate change, importation and exportation of feed, drugs and their composition is our main priority.”
Dr Jallow explained that the enactment of the bill would help the country to export more to the international market as well as encourage and motivate farmers to do more.
