By Lamin Fatty
Hopes of farmers rejuvenated as heavy down pour prevails across Central River Region (CRR) and Upper River Region (URR), after a long period of dry spell.
Farmers in rural Gambia usually do experience dry spells in the month of July, however this year’s rainy season became different as the dry spell continued till the first half of August. The hopes of many farmers were shattered as they think that the month of August is the reproductive time for early maturity crops like maize, millets and early variety of groundnuts, and at this time these crops need frequent and sufficient rainfalls.
However despite that long dry spell in August, the hopes of farmers have now rejuvenated especially on the early maturity crops like millet and maize.
This reporter reached out to some farmers to assess their anticipation on these early maturity crops amid this year’s farming season.
Alhagie Baldeh of Sare Demba in Upper Fulladu West, CRR South told Foroyaa that the long dry spell in August that has not affected the early maturity crop varieties.
“The crop performance is very promising, and I am expecting to start harvesting on my early variety of groundnuts (Philippine pink) around from 15th September,” Alhagie anticipates.
He anticipates a high yield from his millet and maize farms as well.
Sulayman Krubally a farmer from Sami Madina in CRR North said though the dry spell hit hard, the early maturity crops are not affected in their area and the crop performance of millets and maize are very promising.
“The only crops that may be affected is groundnuts, especially the late variety because some farmers have sowed or planted their groundnuts seeds and there was no rain for over two to three weeks and as a result their germination pattern is very poor while others did not even germinate,” Sulayman told foroyaa.
Essa Sowe, a farmer from Sare Sankuleh Jimara told Foroyaa that now it is raining sufficiently almost every day and their millet farms are doing well, but his maize farm was affected by the drought.
“My two hectares of maize farm has been affected a bit due to lack of sufficient rainfall at a time when they are highly in need of rain,” he said.
This reporter visited the metrological office in Basse under the Department of Water Resources to get an assessment of the rainfall pattern in the month of August this year with the comparison of August last year.
Momodou Sowe metrological officer in Basse said the total millimetres of rain within the first seven rainy days was a little bit below last year.
“In comparison, the total millimetres of rainfall within the first seven days of August in 2024 is, is equivalent to 47.9 millimetres while in 2023, it was 51.4 millimetres, and the difference is only 3.5 millimetres,” Mr Sowe said in comparison.
He said this year; farmers experienced a long dry spell in August which was why they were worried because from the 5th of August up to the 15th of August, there was no rainfall.
The metrological officer in Basse once again advised farmers not to try to plant late crops which have a maturity period beyond 90 days.
“We still advise farmers against planting or sowing late crops that have a maturity period beyond 90 days, even though it has started raining frequently now, because based on our prediction, the number of days remain, before it ceases raining is less than even 80 days,” he cautioned.
