Representatives of some Saloum community groups are seeking donor support towards eradicating poverty, food self-sufficiency, food security, address rural-urban drifts, and prevent young Gambians from venturing into the risky backway to Europe in search for greener pasture, by embarking on agricultural production programs that will enable farmers to shift from depending on rainfed Agriculture to continuous farming, engage on enterprising and entrepreneurship skills training and developments activities, to create more employment opportunities for provincial youth, women and communities.
The Youth, Women and community members living in Saloum District in Central River Region of The Gambia want to build organisational leadership capacities to prepare them to complement national efforts towards eradicating poverty in that area, as means to retain young people back home by creating employment opportunities for them in the rural areas through agricultural development programs. This they believe will help address the rural-urban drifts, by creating employment for provincial youth, as well prevent them from venturing into the risky backway to Europe for greener pasture.
Respective leaders of the Saloum District Regional Development Community, the Jimbala Kerr Malick Youth Farmers' Cooperative Society, the Jimbala Kerr Malick Women Group, and some community members in Lower Saloum District highlighted their intentions to embark on major agricultural and enterprising skills development projects, towards eradicating poverty and improve socio-economic growth, ensure food security and self-sufficiency, etc. They target to achieve such objectives by embarking on leadership capacity building training, through which they develop a marketable comprehensive strategic plan, and design fundraising strategy, to help them raise the required funds towards achieving their target objectives.
There has been fears that The Gambia and other African countries will suffer food crisis in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine- the world's major food chain suppliers. However, African countries, including The Gambia should not wait to be spoon fed by other nations, while having huge land areas that are under exploited and the human resources to explore opportunities. That is why some Saloum communities came together to address the looming threats posed by hunger and poverty, with this plan.
The Gambia remains one of the least developed, low income and food-deficit countries in the world. With a total land area of 10,689 square kilometers, the country extends about 500 km inland and its width varies from 24 to 28 km. Subsistence, rural and rain fed agriculture is one of the major drivers of The Gambia’s economy and is also the main source of livelihood of the majority of the rural population (WFP).
Though agriculture is a major part of The Gambia’s economy, food insecurity is still an issue for the population. Crop outputs only supply about 50% of the population’s food needs due to low crop yields, soil fertility depletion, insufficient farm implements, lack of technical know-how and due to lack of financial resources. Agriculture in The Gambia is challenged by poor infrastructure, high cost of production - compared to poor prices of basic agricultural products; soaring prices of production inputs and low private investment.
The declining agricultural productions over the past years resulted in many farmers abandoning farming to seek greener pastures in the urban areas, causing the rural-urban drifts - leading to underdevelopment in the provincial areas; and congestion in the urban areas - resulting in high costs of living, increasing house rents and high unemployment rates, etc. The trend has also led many young Gambians to venture into the risky backway to Europe in search for greener pastures, which is claiming many lives of young Gambians in the mediteraian seas while trying to reach Spain or other European countries.
In response to the alarming situations these communities plan to promote socio-economic growth in rural areas, and Lower Saloum in particular through agricultural production, entrepreneurship development activities. Such will help address the prevailing Rural -Urban drifts, by encouraging young Gambians to stay back home in their villages, and engage on meaningful agriculture and enterprise development activities; and prevent them from venturing into the risky back way to Europe for greener pastures, by creating alternative income generating ventures in the provinces; contribute to food security and self-sufficiency, through shifting from depending on 4 months rainfed Agriculture, to continuous farming activities; and generally to improve living conditions of farmers.
Baboucarr Ngachan - Chairman of the Saloum District Youth Development Community in his comments said his organisation is negotiating land in consultation with the District Chief of Lower Saloum, and will need support for fencing and water access to farmlands, to enable their farming communities shift from depending on rainfed agriculture to continuous farming activities.
He said they want to also create District Youth Farm for multipurpose agricultural production and developments; establish a multipurpose Entrepreneurship Skill Training Centre for the District youth; upgrade Kaur Youth Centre, by constructing Guest Houses and Fencing of the Centre; establish community radio for Saloum District, to raise awareness and promote developments; and to host the Lower Saloum Youth Festival 2023.
Mr Khadim Njie, Secretary General of Jimbala Kerr Malick Youth Farmers’ Cooperative Society and Mrs Adama Jallow- President of the Jimbala Kerr Malick Women Group also expressed similar sentiments, and call for support to enable them build capacities of their members, to enable mobilise resources towards achieving their objectives
To sponsor this capacity building project contact:
+220 74 52 194 / 31 45 871, 376 93 12 or email: njajannjie@gmail.com
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