By Mamadou Edrisa Njie
The founder of Mama Tamba Youth Empowerment Association in Badibou Illiasa District, North Bank Region (NBR), Mr. Tamba Jammeh, has vouched that his trip to Songhai Centre in Cotonou, Benin has greatly impacted his life in creating the opportunity for him to start an Agribusiness Venture.
In order to acquire skills and knowledge, Jammeh, alongside seven other young Gambians went to Benin for a two-month course in January and February, 2013.
Jammeh, who is presently engaged in Integrated Farming System comprising poultry, compost-making, vegetable gardening and seedling planting, gave credit to the Livestock and Horticulture Development Project (LHDP now defunct) for sponsoring his trip.
The LHDP is a loan for the Livestock and Horticulture Development Project (LHDP) in The Gambia, approved by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) Executive Board on 17 December, 2009. It became effective on 3 March 2010, with an expected duration of five years. The project was extended by a period of six months, with its completion and loan closure occurring on 30 September, 2015
The LHDP’s main components are production, processing and marketing of livestock and horticultural production. The project is partly funded with a grant of US$8million by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), at the request of the government of The Gambia and the Africa Development Bank (AfDB).
Songhai Training Centre is accredited by the United Nations and is extending its work beyond Benin. The eight youth that benefited from the LHDP sponsored 2013 training programme to Benin were selected across the country, namely Ms.Isatou Dibba and Tamba Jammeh, both from Illiasa village, North Bank Region; Jewry Susa of Diabugu village, Upper River Region; Lamin K. Drammeh of Sankandi village, Lower River Region; Bubacarr Sonko, Seyone village, West Coast Region; Joseph Manga of Serekunda, Kanifing Municipality; Fatou Fatty of Dobong Kunda village, Central River Region-South and Alhagie Joof of Kerr Ardo, North Bank Region.
In an exclusive interview with Mansa Banko Online in Illiassa village, the man who founded the Mama Tamba Youth Empowerment Association recalled that upon his return from Benin, the association secured a loan of three hundred thousand dalasis (D300,000.00) from the Social Development Fund (SDF) to setup the venture he’s now spearheading.
Currently, he is working with a regular migration Returnee by the name Mr. Babucarr Jammeh, who is also a beneficiary of the Youth Empowerment Project (YEP) Mini Grant Scheme to the tune of Forty-Seven thousand Dalasis (D47,000.00).
The Mini Grant Scheme supplies them with 250 broiler birds, feeds and medication to boost their poultry production capacity which runs in 6 cycles, consisting of 250 broiler birds as the first cycle, and 300 broiler birds for the second to the sixth cycles.
At their poultry, Jammeh said they want to add more value by selling dressed chicken-{a slaughtered chicken that has been eviscerated, defeathered and decapitated}-to increase their market. He is now training youths in his area on marketable livelihood skills such as processing of Moringa into Soap, Aloe Vera Moringa Powder and Agroforestry.
As a passionate environmentalist, Jammeh got a one-year project from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) from December 2018 to November 2019 dubbed, “Youth Empowerment and Environmental Management for the Baobolong Wetland Reserve”, the project aims to plant about 17,000 seedlings ranging from Mahogany, Cashew to other varieties. These seedlings are to be planted in a ‘rice sea’ to reduce salt intrusion.
โThe salt intrusion reduces the rice production,โ he explained, noting that some of the seedlings would be distributed among farmers in the project intervention sites.
Supporting childrenโs education
Mr. Jammeh intimated that his passion for education has led him to build a Nursery School in his native village, about 12 years ago. He enrolled children between 3 to 6 years at the nursery and his first batch was 70 pupils in one classroom block.
In justifying that his school is gaining recognition, he pointed out that 25 pupils are enrolled in the primary level, every year.
Speaking on the rationale behind the entity, the Illiassa native proffered that it’s geared towards empowering youths and preparing a good future for their school children.
He continued, “We want to make sure that the youth are empowered and we also open bank accounts for the children. which is not withdrawable till they finish Grade 12; then they will be given the money to start their own ventures.โ
This initiative, according to him, is meant to discourage the youth to venture into irregular migration through illegal means.
Jammeh took advantage of this interview to call on the Government and NGOs to support the youth, positing that the government should invest in the Agricultural Value Chain.
He further implored on the populace to consume locally produced products in order stay healthy as the Gambia is blessed with a fertile land and fresh sea water.
Tamba rounded off by echoing that, โThe Gambia belong to us and the youths are the backbone of the country.”
Follow the link to the LHDP project document https://www.ifad.org/documents/38714182/40258201/PCRV+LHDP+Gambia.pd
