Over a thousand people from all over Central River Region on Saturday September 1st, converged at President Yahya Jammeh’s three hectare rice (5km by 425 meters) farm in Janjangbureh to assist in the first weeding of the farm this season.

The people of the area were led by the Mr Kanja Sanneh, Secretary of State for Agriculture, Ganyi Touray, Governor Central River Region, Modou Soma Jobe, Governor Lower River Region, Musa Dampha, Director of Extension Services, Foday Jibani Manka, National Assembly Member for Janjangbureh and districts chiefs.
In an interview with our Janjangbureh correspondent at the farm, SoS Kanja Sanneh commended the people of CRR for the large turn-out, describing it as a manifestation of their love and loyalty for President Jammeh especially the women folk. He urged the farmers to redouble their efforts in order to achieve food self-sufficiency. 

According to him, President Jammeh is different from other Head of States who prefer to spend their annual leaves in Europe or the USA.
“President Jammeh spends his annual leave in Kanilai working on his farms”, he said. 

He thanked Governor Touray for mobilising the large number of people and expressed appreciation about the performance of the crop, and further expressed hope that, there will be a bumper harvest.

Ganyi Touray, Governor of the Central River Region also commended the people of CRR and LRR for their hard work and dedication, and for responding positively to the call made by President Jammeh.  He asserted that the products of President Jammeh’s rice farm will be ploughed back for the welfare of the humankind in various sectors including education, health and social activities.
He then urged the people to strengthen their unflinching support for President Jammeh.

Musa Dampha, Director of Extension Service, called on the youths to take up agricultural activities seriously and not to consider them as menial jobs. 
“If youths take up farming seriously, there will be markets available for their products and the prices of commodities will reduce as most of the commodities will be available for consumption” he said.

Mr Dampha said their aim is to achieve food self sufficiency in order to stop importing rice in the country. 

Aja Babun Sidibeh, pointed out that coming out in large numbers was to show their appreciation to President Jammeh.