The Ministry of Finance in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture embarked on a day’s fact-finding mission to garner first-hand information from groundnut farmers on the progress of the groundnut trade season. The entourage visited Medina Kiaf in Kiang and Kerr Mahmud Fana in Niamina groundnut selling points (seccos) and Pacharr rice fields. In her statement at Kiaf, the Minister of Agriculture, Hon. Amie Fabureh thanked the government and the efforts of the Ministry of Finance for establishing a good price for groundnuts for this year’s trade season which stands at twenty-eight thousand Dalasis (28,000.00) per ton. According to her, this was an unprecedented development, one that had never existed in the history of GGC in the country.
The Alkalo of Medina Kiaf, Alhagie Ceesay, hailed the farmer’s Minister for regularly fulfilling her promises to them which she made prior to the rainy season to provide enough fertilizer, a tractor and good price for their produce. Mr. Ceesay further thanked the government for being very sensitive to their needs by making sure that all their groundnuts are bought on time with a good price and no arrears.
The CPM president, Babucarr Ceesay added his voice to appeal for the construction of a feeder road to connect the Trans-Gambia highway for easy movement of people and goods.
Hon. Mambury Njie, on his part expressed his appreciation for this year’s bumper harvest. He assured that the government will provide everything necessary to help farmers grow to achieve sustainable livelihood. He said government will not only buy their produce but ensure that processing locally is also done in order to add value to the produce. Hon. Njie advised the officials of the GGC present to regularly carry out visits to farmers in order to gain reliable information about their conditions and needs. By this, he added, farmers’ problems can be easily solved.
The Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Finance pointed that the Ministry had made every effort to ensure that the government does not buy groundnuts on arrears and the price would be so good that no Gambian would cross the border to sell their groundnuts. He disclosed that over 2 billion Dalasis have been spent to buy groundnuts ensuring that farmers have no causer to complain as far as the buying and selling of groundnuts is concerned.
PS Jallow assured of his Ministry’s will to collaborate with the Ministry of Agriculture to make sure that the fields are levelled for them before the beginning of the next rainy season. In the words of one of the officials on the ground, the Pacharr rice fields have the capability of producing thousands of tons of rice if properly utilised. He said the machines to level the fields are on the ground but the funding for their services is what they need.
The introduction of Pacharr rice project dated back in 1973 when The Gambia Government started its Development Project. In 1982 the irrigation project was started at the Jahali and Pacharr Smallholder Rice Development Fields involving 1,474 hectares. Two years later, in 1984 the farm yielded its first harvest. The area generated 2 crops a year, averaging 17 tons per acre. This success has yet to be replicated as it was unparalleled worldwide at the time (accessgambia.com).
