Abdoulai G. Dibba
The Communications Unit of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), in partnership with Department of Agriculture, under the watchful eye of the media, conducted a nationwide tour of Agriculture and Food and Nutrition security project sites from the 22nd to 28th of March 2019.
The European Union (EU) funded project called Agriculture for Economic Growth and Food Security/Nutrition, aims to create growth and employment opportunities for women and youth through improved agricultural productivity.
The mission of the media outreach is to gauge the activities of the project and its impact on beneficiaries for publication and broadcast, as well conduct radio and TV programs to raise awareness on the intervention sites. The tour party visited several areas where they spoke to farmers, field Schools facilitators and beneficiaries, as well as beneficiaries of farm inputs from the project.
In the North Bank Region, the tour party visited Kerr Sanyang in Lower Nuimi, Aljamdu in Upper Nuimi, Kerr Ali Hawa in Jokadou, Kerr Ardo in Lower Badibu, Njaba Kunda Busura, Daru Barakatou and Yalla Takujala.
In the Central River Region North, the tour party were received by personnel of the regional Agricultural Directorate and led on conducted tours in Jahour Mandinka, Njau, Kunting, Dobang Kunda and Janjangbureh.
In the Upper River Region, the tour party comprising the communication officer of FAO, Foroyaa’s Farmers Eye Cloumnist and the GRTS, were received by the Regional Agriculture Director in the region, Karamo Minteh. They visited horticultural gardens operated by the farmer field School facilitators and farm input beneficiaries in Kudam Mafatty, Badarri, Batunding, Basse Mansajang and Bakadagy.
In the Central River Region South, the team visited Pancharr, Njoben, Boiram, the National Seed Secretariat seed field in Sapu, Wellingara, Jahally Mandina and Mandina Nfally seed growers and Dankunku.
In the Lower River Region, the team was received by Demba Sanyang, the Regional Agriculture Director, who led them to Dongoronba, Jerebereh, Jinoi, Bambako, Wurokang,Jalli and Manduar.
In all these places, the farmer field School facilitators and Agric personnel in the respective regions, expressed the significant gains made since the intervention of the project, in terms of improved agricultural production and productivity.
However, they call on project partners to ensure that the project is sustained and expanded as well as being able to address the perennial issues of market, storage facilities, fences and water for horticulture gardens.
Foroyaa will highlight the view of the farmers across the regions, to provide raw material for project implementers and policy makers, and to improve and sustain them.
