The award ceremony, held at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Centre, brought together government officials, World Bank representatives, farmer organizations, private sector actors and grant recipients from across The Gambia.
The grants were awarded to 188 individual beneficiaries and 26 groups selected through a competitive national process.
The Ministry disclosed that the final cohort of beneficiaries emerged from a rigorous selection process involving 1,208 applications submitted nationwide.
Following regional screening, technical evaluations, field verifications and national-level assessments, 214 applicants were approved for funding.
Of the 188 individual beneficiaries, 53 are from West Coast Region, 48 from Central River Region, 34 from Upper River Region, 19 from North Bank Region, 18 from the Greater Banjul Area and 16 from Lower River Region.
The grant scheme is expected to strengthen agricultural value chains, create employment opportunities for youth and women, increase domestic food production and contribute to The Gambia’s broader agricultural transformation agenda.
The initiative is funded under the World Bank-supported GIRAV Project and is designed to improve access to finance for farmers, producer groups and agribusinesses.
Speaking at the event, Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Security, Dr. Demba Sabally, said the matching grant scheme has already transformed the lives of hundreds of beneficiaries and is contributing significantly to the country's food security agenda.
“Today, we are here to once again witness the award of GIRAV matching grants, this time to 188 individuals and 26 groups across the country,” the minister said.
According to Dr. Sabally, the total value of the grants awarded during the ceremony amounts to approximately US$2.13 million, equivalent to over D156 million, with the GIRAV Project providing 80 percent of the funding while beneficiaries contribute the remaining 20 percent through partner microfinance institutions.
He noted that the grants will support investments in modern farming equipment, processing and marketing facilities, poultry houses, irrigation infrastructure, boreholes, tricycles and mini-vans aimed at improving productivity and reducing post-harvest losses.
The minister highlighted several success stories from previous beneficiaries, including women poultry farmers in Central River Region and horticulture entrepreneur Basiru Barrow of West Coast Region, whose businesses have expanded significantly through the scheme.
For his part, World Bank Country Director Franklin Mutahakana described the matching grant facility as a critical tool for transforming agriculture and strengthening food security in The Gambia.
Mutahakana recalled that the World Bank approved an initial US$40 million grant for the GIRAV Project in 2021, followed by an additional US$68 million financing package in 2024, bringing total project funding to US$108 million.
He said the project has already supported more than 53,000 farmers to adopt climate-smart technologies and improved food security for over 426,000 people through the distribution of improved seeds and fertilizers.
Among other achievements, he cited the construction of 40 women and youth-led irrigated agribusiness farms, development of agro-logistics centres in Wassu and Farafenni, implementation of digital agricultural platforms, support for land reforms and the development of more than 200 kilometres of feeder roads.
“Access to finance remains one of the most important drivers of agricultural transformation in The Gambia,” Mutahakana said, urging beneficiaries to use the grants responsibly and ensure sustainable growth of their enterprises.
On behalf of the beneficiaries, Samba Faye expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Agriculture, GIRAV and the World Bank for supporting small and medium-sized enterprises in the country.
Faye, whose business specializes in seedling propagation, said his enterprise currently produces more than 500,000 seedlings annually for farmers and communities across The Gambia.
“This grant will go a long way in helping our businesses grow and improve the livelihoods of our people,” he said.
Read Other Articles In Headlines
Study recommends establishment mortality surveillance system in Gambia
Jun 15, 2022, 11:48 AM
