The presentation was held at its secretariat in Brikama.
Out of the total amount, each federation received a sum of forty thousand (40,000) dalasis and this fund seeks to support the federations on the development of artisanal and semi- industrial agri-food processing units, restoration of women’s productive capital at the implementation of the transfer of seeds and animals and social nets to improve food and nutritional security, restore capital boost productive activities.
It also seeks to enable federations to have proper organisation of exchange and metallization visits between women’s organizations on the promotion and management of activities or economic units.
Thebeneficiaries include the Association of Farmers Educator and Traders (AFET), Gambia Rice Farmers Association, All Gambia Forestry Platform (AGFP), National Youth Association for Food Security (NAYAFS), National Association of Food Processors (NAFP) among others.
Speaking shortly after the presentation, Musa F. Sowe, president of NACOFAG said the organisation supports the federations to empower them financially to ensure they execute their functions appropriately.
“This money would support people who are into food processing, environmental restoration to build the resilience of the members of the federations that specialise in environmental restoration and knowledge management. We feel that there are different ecologists in this country and there is a need for us to ensure the exchange of farmers’ visits. In this, you can have a crop farmer in the Central River Region visits a crop farmer in the West Coast Region,” he said.
Sowe maintained that the Network of Farmers and Food for West Africa (ROPPA), which is the parent body for NACOFAG, initiated and funded the project mainly to empower the federation and enhance their capacity to deliver well.
Sowe noted that as soon as NACOFAG received the money from ROPPA it decided to distribute it to the federations that specialised in various areas such as food processing, livestock, environmental restoration, and crop production among others.
These federations, he added, would further support their members to ensure effective service delivery.
He thus advised the beneficiaries to spend the money-wisely so that they attain sustainable development goals.
Peter Baldeh, national coordinator for Gambia Rice Farmers Association said the fund would help his association in effectivecoordination of rice farmers’ affairs, as well as assist them to engage rice farmers to know the challenges and come with tangible solutions.
Jainaba Gajaga, a representative of National Youth Association for Food Security (NAYAFS) commended NACOFAG for the support, saying the fund would help NAYAFS to empower youth and women with regards to food security.
