Speaking at the tractors distribution function held at State House in Banjul, Manjang, described the initiative as a ‘strategic partnership in national development, not merely a business transaction’.
He added: “Prosperous farmers need services; they purchase more goods from local shops, hire construction workers, send children to school, and invest in businesses that serve their communities.
“This mechanisation will generate employment for mechanics, traders, transporters, shop owners, and young entrepreneurs establishing service businesses.”
The initiative, Manjang added, aims to reverse rural decline by creating thriving local economies. “When rural areas prosper, they become magnets for opportunity rather than places our youth feel compelled to leave. The prosperity that begins in our fields will extend throughout our rural economies, giving young people compelling reasons to stay, invest, and build their futures at home.”
The tractors, he emphasised, represent a decisive step towards food self-sufficiency as mechanisation enables farmers to dramatically increase yields.
“For decades, Gambian farmers have been trapped in subsistence agriculture. These tractors break that cycle, enabling a shift to market-oriented farming and sustainable prosperity,” he explains. “Mechanisation allows farmers to cultivate larger areas efficiently, plant at optimal times, reduce losses and generate surplus for markets. It also empowers them to become rural entrepreneurs, offering services to neighbours, developing storage facilities and forming agricultural cooperatives.”
Manjang further said: “What makes this initiative transformative is Yonna Group’s comprehensive ecosystem and financial commitment. By co-financing 50% of the tractors with four-year payment terms, the Group ensures accessibility while demonstrating its belief in the country’s agricultural potential.”
Yonna Group’s six subsidiaries provide a full spectrum of support: Yonna Islamic Micro Finance: Sharia-compliant financing for inputs and equipment; Yonna Wallet: Digital financial services for rural communities; Yonna Enterprise: Supply of essential commodities; Yonna Forex Bureau: Remittance services for agricultural investment; Yonna Islamic Insurance: Protection for farmers’ investments, and Yonna Agro Business: Equipment support and maintenance.
This integrated approach, he continued, ensures farmers receive not just tractors, but a complete support system designed to drive long-term prosperity.
“Women comprise more than half of The Gambia’s agricultural workforce. Mechanisation will reduce their physical burden, expand production capacity, and create leadership opportunities as equipment operators and agricultural entrepreneurs,” Manjang stated.
For youth, mechanisation opens diverse career paths: custom farming services, equipment rental, processing enterprises, repair services, transport companies, and retail shops serving prosperous farming communities. “Rather than viewing rural areas as places to escape,” Mr Manjang said, “we must build rural economies where young people can thrive.”
He expatiates: “The tractors enable precision agriculture, optimal resource use, reduced soil erosion, and climate-smart practices. With increased production capacity, The Gambia is poised to become a regional agricultural hub, serving domestic and export markets while generating foreign exchange.
“This initiative exemplifies genuine public-private partnership. Yonna Group is not merely a supplier; we are co-investors in The Gambia’s agricultural transformation.”
According to Manjang, the financing arrangement, structured over four years with reasonable terms, reflects Yonna Group’s confidence in the sector and its commitment to making mechanisation accessible. The government provides policy leadership, while Yonna Group delivers integrated solutions and patient capital for sustainable impact.
“Imagine The Gambia five years from now - with rural communities offering diverse economic opportunities, farmers prospering through mechanised agriculture, and villages thriving with increased activity, there will be great transformation,” he noted, saying: “This is not aspiration—it is the future we are building.”
Further highlighting the productive contribution of Yonna, Mr Manjang said: “Yonna Group’s investment represents more than business, it is a long-term commitment to national prosperity. The Group pledges ongoing support through technical training, accessible financing, equipment maintenance, and capacity building. Its four-year financing terms ensures transformation without straining public resources, while integrated services maximise every dalasi invested.”
Concluding, he noted the tractors utility: “These 90 tractors represent more than equipment; they symbolise Yonna Group’s belief in The Gambia. As they roll out across our regions, from Jahally-Pacharr’s rice fields to Upper River Region’s groundnut farms, they carry the promise of true partnership between government and the private sector, working together, investing together and succeeding together.”
“Today,” he went on, “we plant the seeds of agricultural revolution. Tomorrow, we harvest the fruits of prosperity, food security, and thriving communities together.
