By Lamin Fatty & Assan Bah
A crisis is unfolding across The Gambia’s agricultural sector as government-operated groundnut buying centers, known locally as seccos, have closed weeks ahead of schedule. With groundnuts left unsold and debts continuing to mount, farmers are now trapped in a financial limbo, struggling to make ends meet.
The official groundnut trade season, which was intended to run from December 2, 2024, to March 31, 2025, faced significant delays, with many farmers reporting that actual buying only began in mid-December. Now, with the season unexpectedly cut short, farmers are left with large quantities of unsold crops and mounting financial pressures, compounded by cash shortages at the seccos.
A Season Cut Short
“We are deeply concerned about what is happening,” said Kaldou Jallow, a farmer from Sare Demba, Wulli East. “The season seems to be ending while we still have so much to sell. If the government could provide the cash, we could still sell over 100 tons of groundnuts before the official end of the season.”
Farmers in other areas like Dingiring, Gambisara, and Demba Kunda echo Demba’s frustrations. Despite having large amounts of groundnuts remaining, the shortage of cash at the seccos has rendered them unable to sell their harvests.
The situation took a turn for the worse when an audio recording surfaced, allegedly from Abdoulie Khan, president of the CPMS Association, which instructed secco presidents to stop credit buying and ensure that all groundnuts purchased were sent to the main depots. The recording further suggested that unspent funds in secco accounts would be redirected to pay off debts.
Debt and Desperation
Several secco leaders in Niumi confirmed that they had stopped buying groundnuts in February, despite initial assurances that the season would run until March.
“We stopped buying in February, even though we were told the season would close at the end of March,” said Jully Ndow, who heads the Medina Sering Mass CPMS. “Farmers still have their groundnuts, but they can’t sell them.”
Ndow’s secco still owes local farmers around 900,000 dalasis ($13,400), even after receiving a partial government payment.
“They promised more money, but we haven’t received anything, and we can’t reach them on the phone,” he said.
Similar reports have emerged from other seccos. Mamud Njie, head of the secco in Chilla Jurunku, stated that his secco is in debt by 20 tons of groundnuts, valued at 760,000 dalasis ($11,300).
“We had to stop credit buying, but the authorities haven’t addressed the debts we owe farmers,” he said.
Alagie Kaba Drammeh, a secco manager in Kerr Biran, reported a debt of 17 tons of groundnuts worth 646,000 dalasis ($9,600). “Farmers are still bringing groundnuts, but we have no funds to buy them,” Drammeh said.
In Bafuloto, Seedy Njie, a secco president, confirmed that he had returned the remaining funds to his mobile wallet after settling all debts with farmers.
A Silent Government Response
The government’s silence has only deepened frustration among the farming community.
Abdoulie S. Khan, coordinator and liaison officer of the Federation of Cooperative Societies (FACs), denied that the season had officially closed. He insisted that seccos were only instructed to stop buying on credit, attributing the slowdown in the groundnut trade to logistical inefficiencies.
“Seccos were not told to stop buying — only to stop buying on credit,” Khan explained, stating that the equipment at the depots are more efficient than at the seccos, as another reason for the disruptions. “If a secco records 10 tons but the depot’s machines show a lower weight, farmers will complain about being underpaid,” he added.
But for many farmers, these explanations are little more than a distraction from their growing financial distress. Reports from seccos in several regions suggest a lack of funds, despite some receiving partial government-issued payments.
Khan attributed the delays to pending updates from the payment processing system, QMONEY.
“The last payment was meant to clear credit purchases,” he said. “We need to update the system before releasing new funds. I was informed that GGC has completed this process, and funds should be available soon.”
For farmers, however, the lack of action has already reached a tipping point. Musa Kalajula, a farmer from Brifu, voiced the concerns of many when he said, “If the cash shortage is resolved, seccos could still buy more groundnuts. But right now, it’s just a waiting game.”
Unsettled Debts Across the Country
Despite the promises of further payments, the reality on the ground paints a bleak picture. Seccos, particularly in the Upper River Region (URR), continue to report debts with no clear solution in sight. For example, Briffu Secco is reportedly owing farmers 1,622,714 dalasis, while Demba Kunda and Gambisara seccos have outstanding debts of over 1.4 million dalasis. The Soutuma Sere secco is owing farmers over D470,000.
Several seccos in the URR, including Baja Kunda, Fatoto, and Suduwol, have not incurred debts but have stopped buying due to lack of funds. Meanwhile, Briffu Secco, Dingiring Secco, and Soutuma Secco are among those that owe substantial amounts, with farmers still waiting to be paid.
As farmers grow increasingly desperate, they are calling for urgent intervention from the government. Without swift action to resolve the cash shortages and clear the outstanding debts, many fear their livelihoods will be permanently damaged.
