By Momodou Jarju
The Ministry of Agriculture has begun distributing different types of farming equipment to various regions across the country in a bid to reduce the hard work Gambian women endure in their farming activities.
The minister of the aforesaid ministry, Amie Fabureh told lawmakers in Banjul last week that the distributed farming equipment was two hundred and ninety-eight (298).
“The machines are brought to the communities {in order} to reduce drudgery on women,” she said.
Minister Fabureh’s remarks were a respond to the question asked by the national assembly member for Niani, Alhagie F. B. Sillah, requesting her to explain in details the farming equipment distribution activities which started in February, 2020.
In her response, Minister Fabureh said her ministry distributed different types of farming equipment to various regions, which included 50 units of power tillers and accessories, 10 units of irrigation water pumps of different sizes, 20 multi-purpose threshing machines, 100 tarpaulin, 18 rice dehuller, 50 coarse grain milling machines, and 50 rice milling machines of different types.
How the equipment/ implements were distributed?
North Bank Region (NBR)
Fabureh said NBR received 45 implements or equipment. Out of these implements, she said, the region received 10 power tillers, 20 rice dehullers, two (2) tarpaulins and 13 coarse grain milling machines.
Central River Region (CRR) – North
Fabureh said CRR North received 47 farming implements. Out of these implements, she said, nine (9) were power tillers, 12 rice dehullers, 14 tarpaulins, four (4) coarse grain milling machine, five (5) multi-purpose threshers, and three (3) pumping machines.
Central River Region (CRR) – South
Fabureh said CCR South received 56 farming implements, out of which 12 were power tillers, 14 rice dehullers, 16 tarpaulins, one (1) coarse grain milling machine, 10 multi-purpose coarse grain threshers, and three (3) pumping machines.
Upper River Region (URR)
Fabureh said URR received 30 farming implements, out of which five (5) were power tillers, six (6) rice dehullers, six (6) tarpaulins, seven (7) coarse grain milling machine, five (5) multi-purpose coarse grain threshers, and one (1) pumping machine.
Lower River Region (LRR)
Fabureh said LRR received 28 farming implements, out of which seven (7) were power tillers, eight (8) rice dehullers, three (3) tarpaulins, and 10 coarse grain milling machines.
West Coast Region (WCR)
Fabureh said WCR received 22 farming implements, out of which three (3) were power tillers, five (5) rice dehullers, and 14 coarse grain milling machines.
Kanifing Municipality (KM)
Minister Fabureh said KM received six (6) farming implements, out which three (3) were power tillers, two (2) rice dehullers, and one (1) coarse grain milling machines.
Speaking further, Fabureh said the remaining equipment and accessories will be distributed to the beneficiaries.
These include one (1) power tiller, 63 rice dehullers, 59 tarpaulins and three (3) pumping machines.
Asked who purchased the equipment for the ministry by member for Niani, Minister Fabureh said the equipment were purchased by the Japanese and handed over to the Gambia Government for onward distributions.
According to local report in February 2020, the purchaser of the farm implement or equipment was a Kennedy Round 2 (KR2), a Japanese project grant.
The government of Japan donated the farming implement or equipment, plus seeds and fertilizer, to The Gambia Government worth over 109 million dalasis (D109, 500,000.00).
The project grant was meant to support the underprivileged Gambian farmers.
Responding on what mechanism her ministry put in place to ensure the sustainability of the farm equipment, Minister Fabureh said during the handing over ceremony of the equipment to the beneficiaries, they set up committees to oversee the activities of the equipment.
“They should ensure that they charge a token where at least if it is D100, at least let them not consume D50, let them save it, incase if there is a breakdown,” she said.
