Mrs. Mama Saidy Drammeh of Jahally Madina in the Central River Region has recently received a brand new Suzuki motorbike for emerging as the best farmer in Central River Rice Growers Cooperative Society in Madina Umfaly.

Jainaba Sillah of Jahally Madina came second and was awarded nine bags of fertilizer, while the third best farmer award went to Jainaba Sillah of the same village who received seven bags of fertilizer. Other prizes went to seven other farmers from Darsilami, Wellingara, and Boiram.

This is no doubt a way of recognising the hard work embarked upon by these individuals and encouraging others to re-double their efforts in the endeavour for food self-sufficiency.

Also at the society’s annual general meeting recently in Brikamaba, the Action Aid Country Director Dr. Kuje Manneh Jallow presented a Mercedes Benz truck to the society. All these actions, we welcome and we would want to encourage the relevant authorities introduce many of such societies and give them the necessary support.

Anyone working towards the dream of food self-sufficiency in this country should be provided with the needed necessary support.

Taiwan Technical Mission has been supporting in many areas, but the National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) and the National Agricultural Development Agency (NADA) should make sure that seeds and fertiliser are available to the farmers, all round the year, at affordable prices, even if it need to be subsidised. They must also be given on time and also adequately build the capacities of our farmers.

We also urge them to train more extension workers, if possible at village level to support and help co-ordinate the works and initiatives of the farmers.

We believe that if there are more of such societies across the country, with right vital support, the country would surely be, in the very near future, attaining food self-sufficiency.