Made In Gambia - Building a Creative, Sustainable Future

Made in Gambia – Building a Creative, Sustainable Future; – Driving Jobs, Exports, and National Pride
The Gambia’s *Made in Gambia* brand is gaining momentum, thanks to the EU-funded **Youth Empowerment Project (YEP)** and the International Trade Centre (ITC). The initiative is designed to strengthen local industries, boost exports, and make Gambian products more competitive at home and abroad. At a week-long workshop in Banjul (September 16–23, 2025), ITC consultant **Dev Chamroo** outlined five strategic priorities for the initiative: improving laws and regulations, creating an enabling business climate, expanding market access, driving advocacy campaigns, and mainstreaming ICT. Target sectors include agro-processing (cereals, beverages, spices), creative industries (fashion, music, film, textiles), and services such as tourism, fintech, and e-commerce. Women, youth, and SMEs are at the heart of the project.
“With the right collaboration and supportive policies, the *Made in Gambia* initiative can become a driver of jobs, exports, and national pride,” Chamroo said. How local content reforms can help Gambian SMEs thrive: --- Local Content Reforms – Unlocking Opportunities for Gambian SMEs
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of The Gambia’s economy, making up **95% of all businesses**. Yet, they capture only a fraction of government procurement contracts. At last week’s YEP workshop, international trade law expert **Dr. Kamala Dawar** highlighted how **local content requirements (LCRs)**—policies that require companies to source a share of goods, services, or labour locally—could boost SME participation. “The key is design,” Dr. Dawar explained. “Smart local content rules can build industrial capacity and create jobs. Poorly designed ones risk higher costs and trade disputes.”
Examples from Malaysia, Nigeria, and South Africa showed both successes and lessons. For The Gambia, best practices include: Breaking large contracts into smaller lots; Using e-procurement systems; Ensuring prompt payments; and Providing capacity-building for SMEs
Aligning procurement with SME capacity could not only strengthen competitiveness but also empower women- and youth-led businesses. Why *green procurement* could reshape The Gambia’s future. Green Procurement – Building a Fairer, Cleaner Economy Governments spend billions each year on goods, services, and infrastructure. What if every dalasi spent could also fight climate change and create green jobs? Continuing her presentation *Green Public Procurement (GPP)* Dr. Kamala Dawar explained that procurement accounts for up to **40% of GDP in developing countries**, making it a powerful tool for sustainable growth.
The Gambia has already made strides through the **Public Procurement Act 2022**, which requires purchases to minimize environmental harm and maximize social value. Opportunities lie in solar energy for schools and health centres, climate-smart farming, and eco-friendly public works. Countries like Japan, The Netherlands, and Rwanda show how GPP can cut emissions, reduce waste, and support local green enterprises. But The Gambia faces challenges, including limited technical expertise, weak monitoring systems, and the risk of excluding SMEs from complex standards. “Green procurement is not just about rules,” Dr. Dawar said. “It’s about mindset. Done right, it can shape a fairer, cleaner, and more resilient economy.” .............................................................. Brought to you by your Reader-friendly and digestible online platform. Follow for further updates to come

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