By: Kebba AF Touray
The new Minister of Agriculture Amie Fabureh, has disclosed that a total of 300 tons of fertilizer, is currently available in the country, and that by end of June 2019, the remaining consignment of fertilizer will arrive.
Minister Fabureh made this remark on Saturday during President Barrow’s rally in Brikama.
“A total of ten tractors from NEMA and the Agriculture Value Chain, have been distributed among the cooperatives during our tour. This is to mechanize agriculture and help farmers work with ease to boost their production,” she told the gathering. She informed that two rice production projects are in the offing which once started, will address the problems of rice shortage in the country.
“There is also a project for animal husbandry in the pipeline. This will help those in the domain to rear their animals within the country, without having to go to foreign countries,” she said.
She continued that this is due to the fact that during feasts, a huge amount of money is spent on meat and sheep and other small ruminants. ‘‘My Ministry will stand firm to ensure that this project succeeds,” she said; that presently, they have the Department of Seed and FAO officials in Brikama Ba who are distributing seeds to farming communities and that farmers are receiving seeds from these officials. She assured that they will today Monday June 17th 2019, proceed to Farafenni.
“So there is no delay in this rainy season and this year’s farming season will be a success. The outcry of farmers on fertilizer and the lack of it, will be history. Currently we have 50 tons of groundnuts at our depots across the country and whoever needs seeds, will be provided with it,” she said. “Agriculture will continue to progress because we have the farmers and we will do our utmost to empower them. We have small scale farmers but we try to ensure that they conduct the trade for themselves,” she concludes.
It has been reported recently that farmers are eager to have fertilizer as they prepare for the upcoming farming season; that they raised the issue of affordability and accessibility of fertilizer even if when it is available, which they said Government should look into and support them to get it on time and at reasonable cost.
