By: Haruna Kuyateh
The Rural Development Organisation (RDO)with support from German-based Gambian ‘Saba Lou Foundation’ trained youth on integrated agricultural food processing, poultry keeping, livestock management, vegetable production, food processing, preservation and marketing strategies
The training exposed the trainees on how to specialise on food processing and preservation techniques that will enhance marketing of perishable products, use of modern equipment that will help address post-harvest loss.
The centre has poultry breeding with 3000 layers, with daily collection of 65 to 70 crates of fresh eggs. The eggs are marketed in North Bank, Central River, Lower River Regions and Greater Banjul Area at reasonable prices.
The skill training centre in Balingho aimed to develop human resource base across the country to take up agriculture as a lifelong career and to contribute to the attainment of food security, self-reliance and by extension address irregular migration.
Momodou Bah, National Coordinator for RDO and also an official of Sabab Lou Foundation expressed the foundations efforts in mobilising resources and partners to help youths in the country to acquire skills and knowledge on agriculture. He noted that it will enable them transfer best agronomic practices at community levels to boost food production and productivity.
According to him “the centre will establish guiding and counselling services to youths on wide range of issues and encourage them to focus on the area of specialization to attain the desire objective of becoming agriculturists and entrepreneurs in harnessing food availability and youth empowerment drive,” he urged.
Mr. Bah disclosed that there is high demand for poultry products and therefore marketing is never a problem, as sales agent’s travel to major towns and regions.