The Njawara Agricultural Training Centre (NATC), over the weekend, held a one-day sensitisation forum on seed sustainability and participatory plant improvement (SSPPI) in a workshop held at Kerr Ardo Lower Basic School, in North Bank Region.  As part of the centre’s drive towards sustainability, Reap Canada, in partnership with the National Reseach Institute, initiated a new project covering nine (9) villages in the farming communities of Badibou in NBR.

Commenting on the Reap Canada project,  Victoria Ingram, coodinator of the project said the aim of the workshop is to capacitize stakeholders of the farming communities on seed preservation, test, multiply and dissemination process, in order to safeguard indigenous seeds from the risk of damage.

“As part of Canada-Gambia cooperation, the project is a follow up to the “GEAD” project to preserve seeds and food crops as major assets for farmers,” she revealed.

She thanked Badara Jobe, NATC Director, Reap Canada project officials and all development partners for their contribution towards the project.

Abdoulie Loum,  a trainer at NATC said good seeds are a very important source for the growth of plants. He said the indigenous preservation of seeds will also help in shaping the future of  plants.  He described the occasion as a platform for farmers to share ideas and also learn new  farming methods and activities.

Yandeh Joof, a participant thanked NATC for organising such a forum for farmers. She said that the knowledge gained from the workshop will help them to improve on their farming activities.