The Resilience of Organizations for Transformative Small Holder Agriculture Project (ROOTS) convened a pivotal policy dialogue on Wednesday under the theme “National Convergence on Marketing of Locally Produced Onions in The Gambia.”
The event, held on the 15th October 2025, brought together stakeholders from across the agricultural value chain to share experiences, address persistent challenges, and chart a way forward for the country’s onion sector.
The dialogue is part of ROOTS’ ongoing efforts to increase agricultural productivity and market access for smallholder farmers. Over the years, ROOTS has organized several such forums, aligning with its core objective of empowering local producers and boosting rural livelihoods. A key component of this strategy is the implementation of Agricultural Value Chain Interaction Platforms (AVIPs). These platforms facilitate connections and dialogue among producers, traders, microfinance institutions, and other market actors.
During the 2024/2025 onion season, AVIPs supported a series of collaborative interactions across regions, with mixed outcomes. The platforms aimed to strengthen the marketing of locally produced onions, a sector that continues to face significant hurdles despite notable progress.
In his opening remarks, ROOTS Project Director Mr. Mamour Jagne emphasized the ongoing relevance of the issue, recalling similar gatherings in the early years of the project. “We have made important strides, but persistent challenges remain for our local producers. This dialogue is an opportunity for all stakeholders to directly address those issues and find sustainable solutions,” he said.
Representing the Ministry of Trade, Deputy Permanent Secretary Dr. Jerry Sanyang highlighted the economic stakes, noting that The Gambia spends around 15 million dollars annually on onion imports. “This is not a reliance we can afford in the long term. Protecting local production and farmers is a top priority, and the ministry has introduced market moratoriums for that purpose,” Dr. Sanyang explained, urging participants to exchange ideas and experiences to overcome barriers in local onion marketing.
Speaking on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture, Dr. Saikou Sanyang underscored agriculture’s central role in national development. “For food security, nutrition, and poverty reduction, agriculture must be at the heart of our policies. The Ministry is shifting from subsistence to commercialization, and this policy dialogue is essential for strategizing how farmers can gain reliable access to markets,” he stated.
The forum aims to build on experiences from the last marketing season, fostering a coordinated response to ensure the success of the 2025/2026 dry season onion production. By uniting diverse voices and expertise, the ROOTS project hopes to reduce post-harvest losses, stabilize prices, improve farmer incomes, and strengthen the contribution of onion farming to national food and nutrition security.
