Minister of Youth and Sports, Bakary Y. Badjie, has revealed that a lot is happening in the country's youth sector, particularly in agriculture at The Gambia Songhai Initiative-(GSI) agroforestry training centre in Chamen.
Minister Badjie was speaking during 'Mansa Kunda' ministerial conference held at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara Conference Hall in Bijilo recently.
He stated that his ministry trains between 50 and 70 young people from across the country every year.
Minister Badjie further stated that government took full responsibility of youth accommodation and meals.
He pointed out that his ministry has trained youth for 12 months, adding that upon their graduation they supported them with a startup token to begin their own initiatives.
Meanwhile, initiatives and programmes happening within The Gambia's youth sector are driven by government policies such as the National Youth Policy, international partnerships, and local organizations focused on youth empowerment, employability and entrepreneurship.
Key activities of training include agroforestry through The Gambia Songhai Initiative (GSI).
The GSI effort is to reduce migration by creating employment opportunities in commercial agriculture, tourism, and services.
Other areas of focus include developing young entrepreneurs via the Gambia Youth Chamber of Commerce (GYCC) and support skills development in sectors such as information and communications technology (ICT) and creative industries.
National Youth Policy-2019-2028: This comprehensive policy aims to develop and empower youth, focusing on employability and entrepreneurship to foster national growth.
The Gambia Songhai Initiative - GSI: This programme trains young people in agroforestry and agriculture, providing them with skills and startup support for their own initiatives.
Youth Empowerment Project - YEP: This initiative focuses on market-led approaches to create employment opportunities and enhance youth skills in sectors such as commercial agriculture, services, and tourism.
Skills in Priority Sectors: Specific roadmaps are developed for key sectors like nuts and agroprocessing, ICT, and tourism to build market-oriented skills and facilitate entrepreneurship.
Entrepreneurship and Business: The Gambia Youth Chamber of Commerce (GYCC), for instance, connects young entrepreneurs with the broader industrial ecosystem, fostering growth and innovation in youth-led enterprises.
Women in Enterprise: Initiatives highlight women like Sainabou Jammeh, who leads a construction company, to inspire self-reliance among youth.
Youth Engagement and Development: National Youth Conference and Festival (NAYCONF): This major event brings youth together for dialogues, conferences, cultural activities, and academic competitions, serving as a platform for their participation in national development.
Youth-led enterprises: The focus is on developing youth-led enterprises to accelerate their growth and champion innovation.
Reducing Migration: The project aims to create better opportunities in The Gambia to reduce youth migration pressures.
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