By Amadou Manjang
The Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) Friday validated National Agroecology Plans for the Gambia.
The validated documents are National Consultation Framework on Agroecology and the Operating Charter.
The documents are endorsed by MoA to guide the Gambia Government policy for the agroecology sector.
The validation of these national documents is done in partnership with the Economic Community of West Africa State-Regional Agency for Agriculture and Food (RAAF) Programme of Agro-ecology (PAE).
The programme is conducted by MoA in partnership with the Economic Community of West Africa States and it is funded by the European Union (EU) and AgenceFrançaise de Développement (AFD).
On December 7, 2022, the Ministry held the National Agroecology Consultation Dialogue to draft the documents.
According to the Permanent Secretary of MoA, Momodou A.K. Secka, the documents are going to be adopted as the national documents for the country’s agroecology sector.
Therefore, the documents are needed to guide the consultation and advocacy process for the agroecology system, Secka added.
“The documents are needed to guide the nation’s agricultural policies and programme,” he said.
He said the documents will help stakeholders define their priorities and also provide experience and knowledge for them.
He added that the documents would provide a unified framework for all farmers that will help develop the country’s farming system.
He further stated that the validated documents will also support good practice, therefore, promote sustainable farming that will strengthen the resilience of farmers as well as transform the food production system of the country.
Musa Sowe, the president of Farmers Organisation, said the documents would help the Gambia to mitigate climate change effects on the farming communities.
