By Nelson Manneh
The Gambia, one of Africa’s smallest nations, is on the front lines of climate change, facing worsening droughts, floods, and erratic rainfall.
Despite the mounting threats, the country has made little progress in implementing policies to mitigate the crisis, according to new findings from the Afrobarometer’s Round 10 survey.
The survey highlights Gambia’s vulnerability, ranking it 151st in climate-change readiness according to the Notre Dame Global Adaptation Initiative. The country’s response has been hampered by weak policy frameworks and limited investment in adaptation strategies.
Nowhere are the stakes higher than in agriculture, which contributes nearly a quarter of the nation’s gross domestic product and employs nearly half of its labor force, according to data from Statista. In rural areas, where nearly 80 percent of the population depends on farming for survival, shifting weather patterns are already disrupting lives.
The 2024 rainy season, one of the most erratic in recent history, underscored the nation’s vulnerabilities. A delayed start and inconsistent rainfall gave way to severe flooding by September and October, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization. The rising temperatures and poor infrastructure only worsened the damage. At least 11 people died, and more than 5,000 were displaced, according to Africanews.
For farmers like Lamin Ceesay, 52, who has grown groundnuts in the North Bank Region for three decades, the unpredictability of the seasons has been devastating.
“We don’t know when to plant anymore,” he said. “Sometimes the rain comes late, sometimes too much at once. It’s destroying our crops.”
Despite the increasing challenges, the survey found that many Gambians remain aware of the problem. Two-thirds of respondents said they were familiar with climate change, and most blamed human activity for its worsening effects. A majority called for urgent government intervention, including investment in weather-resilient infrastructure and renewable energy, according to the survey.
But the government has been slow to act. While officials have acknowledged the crisis, progress on policies to improve climate resilience has been limited. There are few large-scale mitigation efforts, and deforestation continues as many rely on tree-cutting for fuel.
Meanwhile, some communities have taken matters into their own hands. Farmers are experimenting with drought-resistant crops, adjusting planting cycles, and adopting water conservation techniques. But without stronger national policies and global support, experts warn, these measures may not be enough.
The effects of climate change in Gambia mirror broader trends across Africa, where many nations are struggling to cope with rising temperatures, extreme weather events, and shifting agricultural conditions. While some countries have invested in adaptation strategies, Gambia’s small size and limited resources make it particularly vulnerable.
Without immediate intervention, climate change will continue to threaten the country’s economy, environment, and people.
For now, farmers like Ceesay must navigate an uncertain future, with the land they depend on becoming less predictable with each passing season.
“We have always lived by the rain,” he said. “But now, we don’t know what’s coming next.”
