The Gambia Government in partnership with FAO will convene a three-day forum at the Kairaba Beach Hotel aimed at boosting food security and Women Empowerment initiatives from 9-11 August 2016.
During the forum The Gambia component of the Africa Solidarity Trust Fund (ASTF) funded project entitled Rural Women`s Empowerment in Agriculture Programme (RWEAP) will be launched, the draft Agriculture Component of The Gambia Women`s Empowerment Programme (GAMWEP) will be validated and training on Gender Mainstreaming for Inclusive Agricultural Growth will be conducted.
Participants will include Senior Government Officials from the Ministries of Agriculture and Women Affairs and their line departments, officials from FAO Gambia country office and FAO Regional Office for Africa, representatives of farmer organizations, civil society and the private sector.
The forum will begin today Tuesday, 9th August with the Official Launch of The Gambia Component of the RWEAP – one of three ASTF projects approved in April 2016 during the 29th session of the FAO Regional Conference for Africa held in Abidjan, Côte d`Ivoire. The project aims to reduce rural poverty and enhance food security and nutrition through accelerating rural women’s economic empowerment in the context of sustainable rural development. The one-year project which is a component of the GAMWEP will support the establishment of five Feed Mills at village level (equipped with grinders and mixers with accessories) and managed by women who will also receive training on feed production and feed mills management and, entrepreneurship. Each mill will have a milling capacity of 2 tonnes per hour. It is expected to improve food and nutrition security, income levels and create sustainable sources of alternative livelihoods for women.
This will be followed by the Validation of the Agriculture component of the GAMWEP project document. The project is designed to create a conducive environment that will spur women’s active participation in profitable and sustainable agricultural activities. It also aims to provide the poor (especially women) with better access to land and other productive resources and their sustainable management.
On Wednesday 10th and Thursday 11th August 2016, key personnel from government and partner institutions will also be trained on Gender Mainstreaming for Inclusive Agricultural Growth. Ms. Tacko Ndiaye, Senior Gender Officer at FAO Regional Office for Africa will serve as the key resource person for the training.
