Gambia: Call to Keep Hunger At Bay Reinforced - As Youth & Sports Minister's Tour Progresses

The call by the president of the Republic, the nation's number one farmer, for the citizenry to engage in farming with a view to augmenting the national food basket and keeping hunger at bay, has been reinforced by the touring Youth and Sports minister, who continued his visit to youth farms and projects in the rural Gambia.

Minister Alieu K. Jammeh, who is accompanied on the tour by officials of his Ministry and members of the Youth in Agriculture and Fishing Initiative (YAFI), has visited some projects and farms cultivated by youths in the North Bank and Central River Regions.

The delegation on Tuesday visited the Illiassa Youth Association Livestock Project; a one-hectare groundnut farm cultivated by the Green Youths in Chamen, Upper Baddibu; Farafenni mini stadium; and a 1.5-hectare farm in Ballangar Kerr Nderry in the Central River Region (CRR). Speaking during a meeting held in Illiassa, an adviser to the Illiassa Youth Association, Tamba Jammeh, informed the entourage that the Association was formed in 1997, but it was not until 2007 when it started to engage in agricultural activities. He informed the delegation that the livestock project came up in September 2013 thanks to the support of the Livestock and Horticultural Development Project (LHDP).

The 250-member Association, according to Tamba, has cultivated a coos farm this year, resulting to a bumper harvest for them. This, he went on, is part of their response to the Gambian leader's call for young people to participate in national development. "As far as the livestock project is concerned, we have 24 sheep for now and we hope the number will increase as time goes on," he disclosed.

While thanking the minster and entourage for visiting the project, the adviser expressed hope that the project will contribute in addressing the problem regarding the hiking of prices for rams during Tobaski. Chief Ebrima Jammeh of Illiassa district, for his part, commended the Livestock Horticultural Development Project (LHDP) for enhancing the capacity of the youth, recalling that some of the youths have undergone overseas training in Songhai on sustainable development. While asserting that the government of the day wants to see all young people engage in anything that can contribute meaningfully to national development, the local governance administrator commended President Jammeh for creating the enabling environment. The chief said an initiative like the one in Illiassa would greatly contribute to food self-sufficiency objective of the leadership.