This development, officials said, is aimed at supporting the farmers in their quest to increase their production. The beneficiary farmers include horticultural gardeners, poultry farmers, cashew farmers, rice growers and millet farmers among others.
The GIRAV project under the Ministry of Agriculture, officials added, is 80% financing the sub projects of the beneficiaries, while the farmers themselves are paying the remaining 20% as counterpart contribution.
On day one of the president's Meet The People’s Tour at Bantanding Wolof village in the Jokadou District, NBR, 51 farmers benefited from GIRAV’s D21,647,000 grants. These include 14 farmers from Lower Nuimi, 29 farmers from Upper Nuimi, and eight farmers from Jokadou District.
At a joint meeting held at Kerr Ardo village in Central Badibou, the GIRAV project also distributed an amount of D15,771,000 to 43 farmers including 26 farmers from Lower Badibou and 17 from Central Badibou.
Meanwhile, 13 individual farmers benefited from the GIRAV D4,670,000 matching grants which also include nine from Upper Badibou and four other farmers from Saba Sanjal District.
Minister Demba Sabally, who was speaking at various meetings, underscored the commitment of the government in supporting Gambian farmers in their quest to increase their production and also to addressing some of their challenges.
The government, he continued, has over the years supported farmers within the area from free seeds to fertilisers among others. He added that 350 bags of fertilisers were distributed to farmers in the area all geared towards production and productivity.
Minister Sabally also assured that many gardens within the area will be supported and upgraded by the Roots project.
Responding to concerns raised by farmers on predicted poor harvest of groundnut, he said: “The ministry is aware of this and we are currently investigating the matter. However, I can assure you that this government under the leadership of President Barrow is more than willing to improve the welfare of Gambian farmers.
Just like previous meetings, farmers and traditional rulers highlighted some of the issues affecting them; key among them include low groundnut yield, the lack of medications in some health facilities, water shortage and the need to construct some roads within their area.
They equally hailed the government for some of the projects brought to their doorsteps ranging from electricity supply, agricultural projects and road constructions on-going in NBR among others.
Inhabitants of the area also assured their unflinching support to the government and President Barrow, while assuring him of a landslide victory in the 2026 presidential election.
“We want to thank the president for the support he is giving to farmers through the Ministry of Agriculture, something that has never happened before. We are expecting a bumper harvest this year in the area of millet, and rice. However, the yield for groundnut is extremely low.” Foday Drammeh of Kerewan said.
Sankung Drammeh, the Lower Badibou lawmaker, thanked the president for the tour. He equally urged the president to help them and construct the road connecting Njawara and Kerr Pateh and then Minteh Kunda, claiming that the road is in a bad condition.
At the Kerr Ardo meeting, President Barrow said his administration would continue to support farmers in the country.
He urged Gambian farmers to sell their groundnuts to the government with a view to enabling the government continue its subsidy on groundnut and fertilisers.
Njayen Sanjal meeting
After the Kerr Ardo meeting, the Gambian leader also visited the ongoing road construction projects within the area. The road after completion is expected to boost the economy within the area, thereby enhancing access to education, health services and connect communities of the area.
At the Njayen Sanjal meeting, Barrow announced that his government is planning to provide 180 tractors all geared towards boosting agricultural productivity in the country. The government, he continued, will pay 25% for the tractors, the other 25% to be paid by the farmers and the remaining will be paid by the farmers in four years.
His government, Barrow added, is also supporting thousands of University students through scholarship and also building many TVETs schools so that young people of the area would acquire various skills.
The minister for Lands, Hamat N.K. Bah urged district chiefs and alkalolu within the area to always adjudicate both in fairness and transparent manners with the desire of maintaining the peace and stability within the area.
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