By: Nyima Sillah
Scores of women vegetable gardeners in Madina Kanuma (Essau Village) have united in their call for an urgent intervention as they grapple with numerous challenges such as inadequate water access and animal intrusion due to lack of proper fencing.
Close to 100 women rely on the Medina Kanuma Garden as a source of livelihood.
Adama Jobe, president of the women gardeners, vented the women’s frustration over their decades-long struggles with obstacles to their horticultural activities.
“We have written letters to different organisations seeking assistance, but to no avail. They promised to come, but never showed up,” Jobe lamented. “Even some women, who contested for elective positions, told us that they would support us if elected, but after they had won, we never heard from them again.”
She bemoaned that the garden is more than just a farming space but a lifeline, asserting that they embark on vegetable gardening to support their families and pay their children’s school bills which, she stated, place a huge burden on them.
Isatou Ceesay, one of the gardeners, described their situation as both disheartening and unsustainable.
“We grow, among others, lettuce, green pepper, onion, okra and garden egg. But every time we plant, stray animals such as cows, hens, and sheep will break in and devastate everything. This affects our projected yields because without produce, there are no sales.”
Madam Ceesay stated that they sell their produce in nearby markets like Barra and Farafenni, explaining that without proper storage facilities, most of their crops perish before reaching the market, resulting in further losses.
According to Ceesay, access to a reliable water source and a good fencing are essential for the success of their gardening efforts.
“Inasmuch as we want to farm, it’s impossible to realize anything meaningful without good fencing and access to water. The animals continue to disturb us, and the lack of water serves as limitation to our output,” she narrated.
“Water access here remains a daily struggle. The garden has seven wells, but they frequently run dry. In response, the women have resorted to watering their vegetables as early as 3:00 am just to secure enough water because sometimes by 6:00 am, there is no more water left in the well. We have stay until mid-day, hoping for the wells to replenish. During last Ramadan, some even came as late as 2:00am but water was often insufficient,” she emphasised.
She pointed out that the inadequacy of water has not been only impacting their horticultural activities but has also posed threat to their personal safety and security.
“Sometimes, we come across strange-looking boys and this scares us. We have to form clusters to ensure our safety and security,” Ceesay said. “If the garden had a proper fencing, we needn’t go to the garden so early. We could lock it and come at any time. The demanding routine affects my family. I leave home at 5:00 am and return home around 11:00 am. This affects my child because she goes to school late or unprepared,” she said.
Fatou Manneh, another long-time member of the garden, said the garden has existed since 1987, but they have always struggled with fencing.
“At times, we clash with livestock owners, report them to the chiefs or Alkalolu yet we end up chasing animals ourselves. We are really exhausted,” she explained. “Our land is fertile. If we have proper fencing and water access, we could expand it. Many more women want to join, but they are dispirited by the current water shortages. This garden is our only hope. We just want a chance to lead productive,” she decried.