NA Agric Committee Calls for Agricultural Diversification

As the world is facing serious food and financial crisis, the National Assembly select committee on agriculture recently raised concerns and called for more attention to be given to agriculture for the country to feed herself.

Speaking as contributors at the ‘right to food’ 3-day training workshop recently in Jarra Jenoi in Lowe River Region, organised by the National Youth Association for Food Security, the Secretary General of the Select Committee on Agriculture, Honourable Kebba Gaye, member for Jokadu and Honorable Babanding K.K. Daffeh raised concerns for the revitalisation of agriculture in the Gambia.

They also called on farmers to diversify on more productive and commercial farming.

“We as National Assembly members must stand on our feet to scrutinise and make sure that the call on “back to the land’ of the president is answered, to boost our agricultural sector,” said Hon. Babanding Daffeh.

“But it is incumbent on farmers to diversify into micro productive or commercial farming to certify the need on food and finances respectively,” he emphasised.

According to him, the ministry of agriculture has a lot to do in order to bring back agriculture to its feet.

“The revitalisation of agriculture through the provision of tools or farming inputs such as fertilizer as well as field training on new farming techniques and methods will be very vital for agricultural development in the Gambia,” he said.

For his part Hon. Kebba Gaye commended the Gambian women and government for their steadfast on their strive for food self sufficiency.

“80 percent of our food stuff is provided by women. This is a challenge for the men to stand up and work towards self-food sufficiency,” he said.

Both commended President Jammeh, who they said has taken it upon himself, through the Kanilai Farms to make food available and affordable in the country.

In conclusion, they called for attitudinal change towards farming, noting that businessmen should also try to invest in agriculture especially farming and poultry production to boost agriculture in the Gambia. Other speakers include Honourables Bora B.Mass, Njie Darboe, Bafaye Saidykhan and Modou Touray.