By: Haruna Kuyateh
The Regional Steering Committee (RSC) of the ROOTS Project in the North Bank Region on Tuesday concluded a daylong visit to its project intervention areas.
The RSC tour project sites included the input support communities of Sittanunku of Upper Nuimi and Kinteh Kunda Janneh of Lower Badibou, Bakindick input dealer under the Youth Matching Grant of Lower Nuimi and completion of the NEMA program supported vegetable garden at Ngain Sanjalof Sabach Sanjal.
The North Bank Region Governor Lamin Saidykhanunderscored the significance of the visit while disclosing the level of commitment of the people (farmers) toward attainment of food surplus.
He thanked ROOTS Project for the input subsidy support and urged the beneficiary farmers to be steadfast and work towards sustaining the gain registered to attain food security.
Governor Saidykhan, however, promised them access to tractors next year to avert the challenge of plowing at the farm which remains a challenge for the project in meeting farmers’ needs.
Karamo Minteh, Regional Agricultural Director and chairman of the Regional Steering Committee of the ROOTS Project for the North Bank Region expressed delight at the importance of the financing component of the project.
He noted that the input support subsidy on rice cultivation from plowing, seed, fertilizer, herbicide, and rice threshers aims at empowering farmers to intensify production and address post-harvest losses.
Director Minteh hailed the community of Sittanunku for their commitment toward sustainability of input support, citing a saving of over D150,000 to consolidate the gain register through ROOTS intervention.
He assured that the youth matching grant support to input dealers and rehabilitation of the vegetable garden at NgainSanjal will enhance the timely planting of the crops.
Alieu Jawo, Field Assistant on Rice cultivation said farmers have realized a bumper harvest on rice noting that yield data has been collected and will be sent for analysis.
He said the RSC team was very much impressed with the farmers’ testimonies as they confirmed of having more rice compared to the previous yield.
However, they identified some major constraints at Sittanunkuregarding access to harvest and threshing machines while at Kinteh Kunda Janneh Ya a rice thresher machine is at work and many depends on that which forced them to leave the rice at the field for a longer period.
He counted the blessing of the ROOTS group management training in Sittanunku which has proven well, as they saved up to D200,000 after paying their 20% contribution and put strategies for sustainability after the project faced out.
Sainabou Martin Sonko, CEO of Kerewan Area Council expressed delight in women’s participation in food and vegetable production and thanked ROOTS for providing support to women and youths.
She challenged their needs through Ward Development Committees to enable the council to support development projects.
Yusupha Jatta, Focal Person of the ROOTS Project at Sittanunku, Chief Fabala Fadia Kinteh, Pa Jammeh, Alkalo of Bakindik, Fabakary Touray, the focal person to ROOTS project, Awa Hydara, and some beneficiaries thanked the ROOTS Project management RSC for its support and good work.