By: Haruna Kuyateh
The NACOFAG and National Rice Growers’ Association with support from ROOTS Project recently began a week-long nationwide consultative engagement with rice farmers for the promotion of good governance and management.
The move is aimed at strengthening farmers’ capacity toestablish effective structures to enhance the coordination and promotion of rice production in the North BankRegion. The consultative meeting brought together 30 rice growers across the region.
The President of NACOFAG, Musa F. Sowe, underscored the significance of the consultative forum, explaining that itwas aimed at ensuring that rice growers are better organized with the right structures to support government and projects in promoting rice cultivation.
He disclosed that The Gambia spends over $ 70 million on rice importation annually and therefore, said it was high time the country addressed its heavy dependency onimported rice.
Mr. Sowe recognized the government’s drive andcommitment to enhance rice production to enable the country to meet the demand for its staple food.
The National Secretary of the National Rice Growers’Association, Pateh Jallow, described the consultation as crucial, noting that it would help rice farmers to map out strategies and interventions to revamp rice production on a large scale and to reduce rice importation.
He hailed the government’s efforts to enhance rice production, saying a functional structure at the regional level would contribute to coordination and communication between rice farmers and agricultural projects.
Other speakers at the meeting included Kebba Fatty of ROOTS Project in Kerewan, Basaikou Kanteh Focal Person for the National Rice Growers’ Association andrice farmer Jonsaba Jawara and they all hailed ROOTS Project through NACOFAG for the foresight and gave the assurances of their cooperation