The project is the biggest ever-agricultural project in the country and would be implemented for a period of six years in all five administrative regions with the aim to improve food security in the country.
The project would focus on upscaling the NEMA CHOSO achievement on the rice and vegetable value chains targeting strategies to reach poor farmers in the country.
Speaking at the launching event, President Adama Barrow said that the project was funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development and other partners.
He also said the agricultural sector is the backbone for sustainable rural development of the country.
“My government recognises agricultural development and modernisation as the gateway for employment creation and poverty reduction for rural Gambia.”
Barrow further expressed gratitude to the development partners especially IFAD for providing support in increasing the food and nutrition security of the country, and to create employment and reduce poverty in communities.
Meanwhile, the Gambian leader also assured that his government would render support to the agricultural department at all times.
The minister of Agriculture, Amie Fabureh, said the project would address a lot of gaps in the agricultural sector.
“The project development objective is to improve food security, nutrition, smallholder farmers, resilience to climate change and access to market for enhanced food security and nutrition,” she declared.
“The project would directly benefit 40 thousand households involving about 320 thousand people,” she said, adding that the primary targets of the project are smallholder farmers; women and youth farmers aged 18 to 35 years amongst others.
She added that over 80% of the beneficiaries would be women and youth.
