The Africa Emergency Locust Project (AELP) Gambia Office, on Friday distributed locust control surveillance, office equipment, generators, 10 motor cycles, camping kits, anemometer, compasses, sweeping nets, insect dissecting kits, thermometers, GPS antennas and chargers, insect vales, among others, worth over D800,000 to the various divisional locust teams in the country, at a presentation ceremony held at the AELP Office in Abuko.

The items were meant to strengthen the early warning and response capacity of the teams in monitoring and reporting of locust related cases.
Speaking at the presentation ceremony, Dr Amadou Sowe, Permanent Secretary at the Department of State for Agriculture, said the equipment was donated two years ago, but they were unable to distribute them.
 
He said the divisional locust control offices are set up in all the regions within the country to build the capacities of farmers in locust control.
He then urged the teams to take great care of the equipment and put them into good use.
For his part, Sheikh Tijan Sosseh, acting Project Co-ordinator AELP, who doubles as the Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, Gambia office, thanked President Yahya Jammeh for his efforts in signing the AELP loan agreement between The Gambia government and the World Bank.
 
He added that the project came into being following the timely intervention of President Yahya AJJ Jammeh in mobilising and dispatching locust control intervention teams to Senegal and Mauritania.
He explained that the objective of this presentation is to enhance the capacity of the country to control and mitigate effects of any possible invasion and reinforce sub-regional countries when and where necessary.
Bunja Mboge Procurement Officer AELP and Jerreh Sanneh, Divisional Agricultural Co-ordinator in URR, all expressed similar sentiment.