Banjul, 17th March 2025: The Resilience of Organisations for Transformative Smallholder Agriculture Project (ROOTS) in its pursuit of enhancing businesses of farmer organisations in the country awarded matching grants to 39 farmer organisations through the ROOTS 4P Matching Grant Scheme, at an event held at Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Centre.
The 4P Matching Grant Scheme aims to finance post-harvest and value-addition business plans proposed by eligible entities within the rice and vegetable value chain.
The investment covers areas such as purchase of tricycles, construction of warehouses, cold stores, drying flows among others.
Beneficiary farmer organisations were drawn from all the regions of the country through a competitive application process and evaluation of large number of applicants.
In his welcome statement, the Director of ROOTS project, Mr. Mamour Alieu Jagne acknowledged that the award ceremony signifies a scaling up in the area of value chain where farmers are moving from production to access to markets. He revealed that one of most important reasons for launching the 4P matching grant initiative is to improve access to markets for farmer organisations as it can play a catalytic impact on both vegetable and rice production in the country.
Mr. Jagne thanked the Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry for leading the process, and the National Review Committee for their rigorous assessment of applicants.
In his statements, the Hon. Minister of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment, Babucarr Ismaila Joof said post-harvest loss prevention and value addition are key important areas that the Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Trade have been complementing each other’s efforts in improving them. He noted that all these falls under the President’s ambition of enhancing industrialization, which starts from value addition targeting agricultural produce.
Delivering the award speech, the Hon. Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Security, Dr. Demba Sabally disclosed that matching grants are greatly transforming the lives of farmers and their communities. He stated that over 200 youths benefitted from the first phase of ROOTS matching grant scheme.
Minister Sabally indicated that in Central River Region, a youth matching grant beneficiary building a house for his family from the proceeds of his tricycle business is a strong testament of the life-transforming impact of ROOTS matching grant scheme.
Giving the vote of thanks on behalf of the beneficiary farmer organisations, Mrs. Matida Sillah thanked the ROOTS project and stakeholders for availing them this important opportunity.
Source: MoALFS
39 Farmer Organisations Benefit from ROOTS 4P Matching Grant
