Officials said the training, which was attended by 25 participants, is aimed at improving their skills on business management, record keeping and organisational group management.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Ebrima Camara, the Coordinator of All Gambia Forestry Platform, gave an overview of the project and the training.
The project, he explained, is being funded by FAO through the Forest and Farm Facility Initiative Small Grant support.
Camara further added: “All Gambia Forestry Platform being the Apex body for Community Forest Managers, Joint Forest Park Management Committees, Forest CBOs and Forest User Groups in the Gambia designed the project with a view to enhance the entrepreneurship skills of the target beneficiaries.”
The project, he continued, is aimed at improving the livelihood and income generation from Non-Wood Forest Products for sustainable management of forest resources.
The project, Camara went on, has established four Interest Groups on various Non-Wood Forest Products, adding: “We will be conducting training for all these four interest groups on value addition and as well as linking them to the markets.”
Simon Sarjo, forest officer for the Kafuta Administrative Circle, underscored the importance of the training towards sustainable forest management.
Alhagie Sanyang, the regional Forestry Officer for WCR, said skills development on non-wood forest products enhances sustainable forest management, claiming: “It will encourage utilization of non-wood products for income generation.”
Sanyang said: “There is serious decline in woody trees and there is need to protect the remaining ones and divert attention to development of sustainable forest-based enterprises particularly on non-wood forest products for sustainable income generation and improved livelihood.”
He thanked FAO for its continuous support to the forestry sector of the Gambia.
Concluding, Sanyang also hailed All Gambia Forestry Platform for their commitment in complementing the efforts of the Forestry Department.
