During every natural or other disasters, the first thing that one tends to see are bags of rice and oil being distributed to the victims. Nothing is added to enable them to purchase fish and other vegetables to be able to have a balanced diet.
Rice and oil could fill empty stomach but good health is ensured by a balanced diet. Otherwise the two killers, hypertension and diabetes would consume the nation and reduce life expectancy.
There is abundant land and water to enable the Gambian people to be produces of the food they need to have a balanced diet.
Importing more than two billion dalasis worth of rice is not the way forward to food self-sufficiency and self-reliance. We could only pound our chest if we are able to give our people the means to produce what we need to survive with our own sweat, from our own land, by our own efforts and under the support and protection of our own state.
Beggars are always the victims of pride and prejudice. This is why the old saying goes: Beggars have no choice .
Let us save our people from being beggars and guide them to be the architects of a country that would guarantee them an existence of liberty ,dignity and prosperity.
