By: Haruna Kuyateh
The National Rice Farmers Association with support from ROOTS Project on Tuesday organised a daylong Contact and Regional Dialogue with rice farmers on the theme: To facilitate Socio-Economic, Networking, and Access to Services through the creation of market and market information. The forum was held in Kerewan, North Bank Region (NBR).
Peter Baldeh, National President of the Rice Farmers Association expressed that rice farmers play an important role in food production to attain food security.
While lauding the ROOTS project for its support to the association, he noted that the Regional Dialogue aimed at empowering farmers to increase production, adding that the association will create a platform to enable farmers to be aware of funding opportunities.
Musa F Sowe, President of the National Coordinating Organization Farmer Association the Gambia (NACOFAG) disclosed that, database development aimed to capture total numbers of land for rice production, as it will help to monitor progress.
The association called on the private sector to support and attach great importance to agricultural development, saying the plan is on the offing to establish a farmers’ microfinance enterprise entity, to enable farmers to have easy access to finance and equipment.
Sowe disclosed that the recent study tour to Senegal by the association aimed to learn how farmers’ insurance schemes work to help farmers with security.
Basaikou Kanteh, President of the Regional Rice Farmers Association NBR said the restructuring of the rice farmers’ association would contribute to the output of rice production.
He thanked the ROOTS Project for its foresight in strengthening rice production and farmers’ capacity.
Alieu Jawo, Field Assistant on Rice at ROOTS Office, NBR said the project provides improved seed, fertilizer, and plowing as part of inputs support whilst herbicide and protective gears is a grant for Crises Respond Initiative from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
Marang Kinteh, Lady Councilor for Lower Badibou thanked the ROOTS project for the input support to Kinteh Kunda Janneh, noting that it has contributed to food security.
She, therefore, called on ROOTS and the Rice Farmers Association to support rice farmers with tractors, threshers, and milling machines on loan, saying it will empower farmers.
Alagie K Saho, Vice Chairman of Kerewan Area Council, Chief Alpha Mariam Khan, Chief of Jokadou, and among others made remarks at the daylong dialogue.
