The project, funded by the World Bank, is a five-year one amounting to USD40 million focusing on five priority agricultural value chains namely; Rice, Maize, Horticulture (vegetables and mango), Cashew and Poultry. The project seeks to promote the development of inclusive, resilient and competitive agricultural value chains, focusing on smallholder farmers and agribusinesses across The Gambia. It is being executed by Ministry of Agriculture and implemented by the CPCU in close partnership with 18 IPs.
At the handing over ceremony, Demba Sabally, Minister for Agriculture applauded the World Bank and the GIRAV project Team for the gesture.
The provision of the mobility, he added, underscores his Ministry’s drive to transform agriculture into a sustainable, modernised, diversified production and export-oriented sector, which contributes to improve food security, farmers' livelihood and economic growth, leaving no one behind as envisaged by President Adama Barrow.
Minster Sabally emphasised that the project is committed to supporting all the IPs for the realisation of the desired goal.
“These vehicles being handed over to you today will complement the support received earlier from the project as well as from other agricultural projects including ROOTS and the Small Ruminants Production Enhancement Project in the delivery of interventions in the sector. I therefore challenge you to make good use of the vehicles. Ensure timely implementation of activities and reporting.” he urged.
Earlier on, Mr. Mod Secka, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture described the importance of the gesture, further reminding the beneficiaries that the assistance was aimed at facilitating their movement in the implementation of their activities.
Abdoulie Touray, Coordinator of the GIRAV Project and the CPCU stated that the provision of the vehicles was designed to strengthen the capacity of the IPs in the implementation of both GIRAV and other activities under their purview.
This, he added, is in broader quest to boost food security and nutrition, alleviate poverty and thus contribute towards the achievement of national development priorities.
The beneficiaries are: Urban Agriculture Directorate, Horticulture Technical Services (HTS) and the Soil and Water Management Service (SWMS) under the Department of Agriculture; National Agriculture Research Institute (NARI), The Gambia Investment and Export Promotion Agency (GIEPA), Department of Cooperative Development (DoCD) and the National Roads Authority (NRA).
