#Headlines

CRR youth association poised to end hunger, poverty in region

Feb 9, 2023, 12:23 PM | Article By: Ousman Jallow in CRR    

Central River Region (CRR) Young Farmers Association has expressed its resolve to end hunger and poverty within the region through agriculture.

The voluntary association comprises young people from various communities across the region.

Members of the association made the pronouncement during a meeting held at the Governor’s Conference Hall in Janjanbureh on Saturday.

According to them, with support they would end hunger and poverty within the region.

CRR is one of the biggest regions in the country. Its north and south have enough land space and fresh river water to cultivate groundnut, rice and other local and exportable crops.

Its land is also fertile to grow fruit trees and spacious to rare animal, small ruminant and poultry.

Lamin Sima, the coordinator of the association, said they have fresh river water to cultivate enough cash crops to feed the whole region and supply the rest of the country.

He added that they also have the forest and land space to venture into animal husbandry, bee keeping other initiatives that would eradicate hunger and poverty in the region. However, he appealed for support to ensure they achieve their desired goal.

Alassana Jallow, youth councillor at Kuntaur Area Council, said the association is non-political and meant to support natives of the region in agriculture and other areas.

Sainey Njie, the president of the association, expressed their readiness to meet President Adama Barrow, officials of the Ministry of Agriculture and other relevant stakeholders and put forward their plans before them as well as seek their assistance in realising their mission.

Haddy Baldeh, a technical agriculturist from Kuntaur agriculture centre, in deputising her director, said agriculture is key to The Gambia’s development, noting that if young people are empowered to venture into agriculture, they could contribute to eradicating hunger and poverty in the country.

Lamin Kuyateh, a big rice cultivator and native of Brikama Ba, highlighted the benefits attached to agriculture. He appealed to government, Ministry of Agriculture and other stakeholders to support the young farmers association in realising its goal.