By Makutu Manneh
The National Food Security, Processing and Marketing Corporation formerly GGC, under its mandate to procure and deliver fertilizer to the farming communities, has on Wednesday April 8th 2020, delivered 2,000 metric tons of compound fertilizer to the Ministry of Agriculture.
According to the Managing Director of the National Food Security, Processing and Marketing Corporation formerly GGC, Muhammed Njie, his institution has been mandated by the Ministry of Agriculture to procure and deliver fertilizer to the farming communities before the start of the rainy season; and in fulfilling that mandate, they are delivering the first batch of fertilizer; and are anticipating to receive another 2,000 metric tons in the next two weeks.
The balance MD Njie said, will be received before the end of May.
The Ministry of Agriculture on behalf of the Government of the Gambia received the 2,000 metric tons of compound fertilizer.
In receiing the fertilizer, the Minister of Agriculture Amie Fabureh said the fertilizer will be distributed across the country at a price to be determined later.
Minister Fabureh said the delivery of the fertilizer at this time was a promise made by Government and her Ministry to the farming community that fertilizer will be available by April and called this a step in the right direction.
Mbye Jabang, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture said the arrival of the fertilizer on time will give confidence to the farming community since the new leadership at the Ministry of Agriculture has fulfilled one of the promises they gave to them; they will make a priority for this important farm input to be delivered to the farming community on time.
“The current situation for us is to go great lengths so that commodities and farm inputs to be procured from outside the country, is done on time,” PS Jabang said.
