The possibility of The Gambia becoming food self-sufficient, an initiative championed by The Gambian leader, Professor Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh, was a subject of discussion by the country’s lawmakers.


Members of the National Assembly, last Wednesday, were unanimous in their expression of unreserved confidence that the country can achieve the goal “if all hands are on deck.” Speaking at the Assembly, the member for Wulli West, Honourable Sidia Jatta, indicated that The Gambia’s quest for food self-sufficiency is attainable. He said: “I am convinced beyond every reasonable doubt that this country can become food self-sufficient, particularly in rice production. We can produce rice for our own consumption and eventually export the rest of what is not consumable. Yes, it is possible!’’ However, the opposition parliamentarian suggested the need for reinforcement of efforts in the agricultural sector, stressing the need for addition of value to The Gambia’s main cash crop, groundnut.

In the view of Honourable Jatta, groundnut can earn the country many export items. Describing agriculture as the lifeblood and diamond of the country, Honourable Jatta also called for redoubling of efforts to ensure a robust marketing system in agriculture. According to Honourable Bintanding Jarju, the member for Foni Berefect, women are the custodians of rice production in this country. She emphasised that further support to them by the Department of State for Agriculture will ensure speedy attainment of food self-sufficiency in the country. She also noted that revitalisation of the mixed farming centres in the country would further boost the food self-sufficiency objective as that move will ensure that farmers access readily available services.

Honourable Ba-Faye Saidykhan of Jarra East concurred with the fact that The Gambia has a great potential of being food self-sufficient. “This little Gambia, to be honest, can be food self-sufficient especially when we utilise our resources,’’ he said, pointing out that the country is blessed with all the resources needed to ensure massive production. And he went on: “We have lots of avenues. We have the land as well as the water.”
He called for people to utilise these resources to achieve the common objective in agriculture.

To this end, he stressed the need for a change in attitude towards the sector, arguing in favour of agricultural diversification. Honourable Saidykhan went on to say that the country’s river resources can supply the people with enough water for  massive production for food self-sufficiency, suggesting the need for venturing into irrigation practices, because, as he put it, “3-4 months of rain is insufficient for this.” The Jarra West member echoed the member for Berefet in calling for the empowerment of women in rice production as they have been the driving force behind rice production in the country.

However, Honourable Saidykhan stressed the need to get rid of “office agriculturists.” In other words, agricultural experts who spend the best part of their time in the office could do better for the country if they would venture into the field. This, he said, is crucial in order to boost the sector. “If you go Taiwan, PhD holders are in the farm,” he said, and added “utilising the knowledge in the field will help a great deal in the agricultural sector.”