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FAO-AJi Sukai Ndateh SSS joint telefood project launched
Thursday, February 26, 2009
The United Nation Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) in collaboration with Aji Sukai Ndateh Memorial Senior Secondary School for Girls last Monday launched a joint telefood project at the school hall along Mile seven, Bakau.
The FAO-funded project is aimed at promoting small scale vegetable production, fruit tree production and floriculture and poultry management for the students to develop their abilities in agricultural science practices. The project also aimed at enabling students to acquire livelihood skills, in order to reduce the risk of unemployment and to ensure a sustainable poverty reduction. Speaking at the launch, Abdoulie Musa Loum, the chairperson of the Parent Teachers Association (PTA) of the school, described education as an indispensable asset in confronting the many challenges of the future and in attaining the ideals of peace, freedom and social justice. According to him, education absorbs the greatest share in re-orienting government expenditures of least developed countries. He described the project as a marker in the contribution to the socio-economic development of students of the school. He expressed optimism that the project will have a positive impact on the students, particularly in promoting their agricultural skills and the education process of the school in general. Mrs. Haddy Jammeh, the principal of the school described her school as one of the youngest schools still struggling to get off the ground. She expressed confidence that the telefood project will promote small scale projects, floriculture and poultry management which are significant in the development of the school. Mrs. Jammeh further expressed hope that this important project will contribute to the national advocacy for food self-sufficiency and socio-economic development. For his part, Dr Babar Gana Ahmadu, the Food and Agriculture Organisation representative in The Gambia dilated on the role of FAO in promoting agriculture and ensuring that countries achieve food security. According to him, FAO’s objectives are among others, to greatly contribute to the growth of the world economy and urged the school to make best use of the project. Seedy Jarju, permanent secretary, department of state for Agriculture, called for the shift from scale scale farming to a commercial farming, noting that people should make best use of the natural resources available. He described the project as a source of employment for students, adding that the introduction of the project in the school is important. Dr Ebrima Malick Samba, the chairman of the Board of Directors, advised the students not to underrate this opportunity and urged them to always remember the Vision 2020, which is to empower the women and to alleviate poverty among others. Dr Samba who is also the founder of Aji Sukai school and Muslim High School then described agriculture as a centre point in any country and urged the school authorities to utilise the project as required. Author: by Alieu Ceesay
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