By: Ismaila Sonko
Sitokoto Gassama, councilor of Salikene ward has said that farmers in the Gambia lack the knowledge in farming activities.
Mr. Gassama said the extension workers across the country should do their best to meet the farmers in their farmland or garden to train them how to do farming activities because most of the farmers lack experience to operate in their farm or garden.
He said that most of the farmers in the country did not know how to use the fertilizer in their farmland and misusing fertilizer can cause soil erosion and at end of the day, it will affect the soil for proper farming activities.
“The authority responsible for agricultural activities in the Gambia should not sit in their office but they should follow the farmers and know the problem they are facing,” he noted.
Councilor Gassama said the Gambian women were left out by the government when it comes to the agricultural activities because they did not have standard market for their garden products.
Sitokoto Gassama said that the authority responsible for agricultural activities should not organise a workshop with farmers at the hotels but let them try their best to visit the farmers at the field so that the farmers can get the knowledge and use it at the end of the training.
He calls on the government to put more money into agriculture sector because it is the backbone of the country’s economy and to empower the farmers.
He also urges the people to embark on the agricultural activities because the government cannot employ everybody but if you have the place to do your farming or garden activities, go and work so that you would be self employed.