Vegetable gardeners demand better storage facilities

Gardening is becoming an enterprising venture for many with vegetable gardens dotted from Greater Banjul Area, peri-urban communities to provincial Gambia. Aside from providing income for women, it also contributes to family’s food and nutrition needs.

Omar Jammeh, a vegetable gardener in Latrikunda Sabiji, said the problem faced by vegetable gardeners is lack of storage facility, to keep and preserve their vegetable produce.

"We are facing lot of problems regarding lack of storage facility. Many of our tomatoes and eggs plants when it is not sold in the market, it becomes spoiled. The government should help us build storage facilities, with ice plants for the preservation of our vegetable produce." he remarked

Lamin Jammeh, another vegetable gardener equally spoke on the problems faced by vegetable gardeners.

The government through the Ministry of Agriculture, he said, should provide better market, and storage facilities to enhance their productivity.

"We need storage facilities to preserve our vegetable produce for a long period without been spoiled", he said.

Lamin F. Fatty, an expert on vegetable gardening said there is need to build solid storage facilities in every town to avoid post-harvest losses, saying most products are perishable crops with short lifespan.

"The government should build storage market facilities in every community, because most crops do not last long, due to their short lifespan. But if there is a better and proper storage facilities in the market that will mitigate the problems of post harvest losses."

The significance of market facilities, he added, will help preserve and market their produce. He said vegetable growers should be equipped with requisite knowledge on vegetable gardening.

"The importance of market facility, and a cold room will help preserve and market their produce. Vegetable farmers should be equipped with the knowledge of value adding so that their products can last long" he concluded.