By Fatou B. Cham
The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock & Food Security, in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and with the facilitation by Alliance Française Banjul and Gambia Tech, last week organised an investment forum to explore investment opportunities in agrifood systems.
The convergence, held at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara Conference Centre, facilitated discussions that helped identify potential investment opportunities in the agricultural sector, focusing on innovative financing models, public-private partnerships, and foreign direct investment.
The forum was conducted under the auspices of the FAO Hand-in-Hand (HIH) Initiative which supports the implementation of nationally-led, ambitious programmes to accelerate agrifood systems transformations by eradicating poverty (SDG1), ending hunger and malnutrition (SDG2), and reducing inequalities (SDG10).
The initiative promotes partnership-building efforts, provides a platform for national authorities to present investment opportunities to investors, multilateral development banks, the private sector and donors in an annual International Investment Forum in Rome, Italy. This International Forum is also open to local agri-preneurs and investors.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Hon. Dr Demba Sabally, Minister of Agriculture explained that the Food System Dialogue that resulted to a national pathway for the transformation of the agri-food system had seven milestones and one of them is to enable private sector participation in the food systems. The private sector is a key player in ensuring food safety as it underlies the entire food system.
He stated that most foods are produced, handled, processed, distributed, and sold by the private sector; thus, it is their responsibility to ensure that products are nutritious and safe for consumption.
“Looking across the hall I see every sector that is implied in the food system transformation agenda of The Gambia; from input dealers, producers, processors, traders, consumers, transporters, technical and financial partners and researchers. I have no doubt that fruitful exchanges will take place that would be beneficial to all the partners here present”.
The Minister thanked their traditional partner FAO for the usual technical and financial support, Alliance Française Banjul, Gambia Tech and all the invitees for finding time to attend and participate in this very important investment forum.
Also speaking at the ceremony, Shibu Rampedi, FAO country representative in The Gambia acknowledged that the forum provides a unique platform for dialogue, bringing together diverse stakeholders, including the private sector, development partners, and government representatives, to explore investment opportunities in The Gambia’s agriculture sector.
“The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Security supports collaboration and innovation for the future of food systems in The Gambia. These discussions on agri-food systems acknowledge the importance of the private sector as an engine for economic growth and a key driver in aligning agri-food systems with new market opportunities,” she stated.
Stating the importance of public-private partnerships, she explained that it can stimulate innovation, introduce advanced technologies, and build the capacities of local producers. “Such collaborations are essential for promoting the commercialisation of agricultural commodities, which is a key focus of the Hand-in-Hand Initiative”.
The FAO Rep explained that the Hand-in-Hand Initiative, launched in 2019, is a flagship of FAO and one of its core priority programme areas.
The Hand-in-Hand (HIH) Initiative supports the implementation of nationally-led, ambitious programmes to accelerate agrifood systems transformations by eradicating poverty (SDG1), ending hunger and malnutrition (SDG2), and reducing inequalities (SDG10).
