By: Haruna Kuyateh
The Regional Steering Committee (RSC) of the ROOTS Project in North Bank Region((NBR) was impressed when they embarked on field visit and meeting together with Yallal Tankonjala Women Vegetable Gardeners of Upper Badibou in the north bank and beneficiary of Youths Matching Grant Isatou Ceesay of Kerewan in the north bank region. Prior to the visit, the RSC held it second sitting of 2023 to review progress and challenges in term of support extended to beneficiaries and plan for day long engagement with members to intervention sites in Jurunkuand Bakang Karantaba cluster rice fields, tri cycle and vegetable garden.
Deputy Governor Dembo Samateh on behalf of Governor reiterated government under President Adama Barrow commitment to food security. He call on the beneficiaries to optimal use of processing facility at Kerr Jarga yo boost up value addition and increase supply chain among producers and processors.
Sainabou Martin Sonko, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Kerewan Area Council (KAC) assured of her council’sfullest support to women empowerment to enhance women participation and promised to address their challenges. She described ROOTS intervention as unique and important in empowering women to increase rice and vegetable productions.
CEO Sonko encouraged women to consult with KAC through women representative to further discuss on women development priority needs.
Demba Sanyang Regional Coordinator ROOTS said the matching envelope per youth is $7,500 and the project contribute 90% and whilst 10% counterpart contribution from beneficiary youths.
The youths marching grant provide much needed support to youth’s capacities into meaningful socioeconomic development.
Dilating on Vegetable garden, Sanyang Regional Coordinator ROOTS NBR hailed women for their support and said 40 solar panels and new pumping were installed and new pumping machine. Post-harvest losses can be address through matching grant
Isatou Ceesay a beneficiary of youths matching grant in Kerewan thanked the project officers for providing her with two tri -cycles and noting that, she has created employment opportunity for two youths. The support has contributed immensely in terms of income and diversification in to agroforestry and her capacity.
She disclosed that 95% success on the operations of matching grant has been registered and call on youths to take up opportunity available in the country. Madam Ceesay stressed the need for tri cycles beneficiaries to have an association that would respond to effective coordination and communication.
Alieu Jawo Field Assistant on Sustainable Rice Production and Lamin Fatty Field Assistant on Market and Value Chain, Kebba Fatty Integrated Market Oriented Vegetable Garden described high level of commitment and participation of beneficiary communities and noted that the project will continue to strengthen farmers capacity on production, value chain addition, marketing and adoption of agronomic practices to boost food production and productivity.
Awa Jallow President of Yallal Tankonjala Women Vegetable garden lauded ROOTS project for completion of NeMA sponsored 5ha land, which greatly contributed in changing lives and livelihood of the community. She noted that the installation of 70, 000 litres water tank, four compost chambers, water reservoirs, improve seeds and materials greatly enhanced productions and productivity.
Jainaba Sidibeh described the support as fundamental, noting the garden was established by NEMA project as no production took place before. She said water is connected to the toilet facility and parents provide basic needs of families from the garden. Thanks the leadership of ROOTS and Department of Agriculture for Technical advice.
As part of sustainability of garden, the project build the capacity of vegetable growers on the significant of savings and according to women leaders, each woman pay D600 per year and D49, 000 bank with commercial bank and whilst new members pay D1800. Commenting on challenges, the women expressed lack of tractor and Inadequate water taps remain a concern.
The garden is purely promoting the use of organic manure and noted that the establishment of compost chambers would greatly contribute to mitigate effect of climate change.
