President Adama Barrow has announced $80 million project, for the cultivation of rice and promised plan to end importation of rice in the next five years.
Speaking in Basse, he said: “I want farming to progress in this country because 100% of the rice we eat in this country, only 15% of it is cultivated here, 85% is imported into the country. I want that to stop in the country in the next 5 years. The Gambia will not import rice from outside anymore. I will make sure we eliminate that because we have the land and enough water to do that. We have an $80 million project, which is solely meant for the cultivation of rice.”
“The project has already started and it is in the whole of Basse. By the grace of Allah, we will not import rice from other countries. It will create jobs where our youth can work. It will stop the youths from going back away because we want Gambians to stay and work in this country.
“When we start cultivating rice and improving the gardens, it will benefit this country, because our youth will be able to work there. We want to industrialize our farming system and establish factories, light industries, so that Gambian youth will not go backway again,” he reiterated.
President Adama Barrow will face five other presidential candidates in the December presidential election
Barrow
