By Bakary Touray Jr
A delegation of European Union Ambassadors had called on the National Agricultural Land and Water Management Development Project (Nema) benefiting communities in The Gambia to ensure sustainability and continuity of the interventions of Nema project.
Ambassadors Nicole Gesnot, representing Canada Embassy in Dakar and Silvia Bergamasco, Representative of Italian Embassy in Dakar, Senegal have enjoined the National Agricultural Land and Water Management Development (Nema) Project benefiting communities in the Gambia, to ensure the “sustainability and continuity” of the operations of Nema project.
The duo made the clarion call on Wednesday, 20th November 2019, during a media interview at the climax of their two days official visit to this West African nation.
The visit by the EU Ambassadors came at the time when the Nema project-which is now a household name, particularly in rural Gambia-is on the verge of phasing out.
Ambassador Nicole Gesnot of the Canadian Embassy, during the visit encouraged the women of Bondali Tendato to also reconsider rice cultivation at the site, noting that the visit has enabled them to see for themselves, the level of project implementation by Nema Project, as well as the benefits the communities have derived from the project.
Rating their visit “successful”, the Dakar-based Canadian Embassy Representative, added that it shows the potentials that agriculture and the various components have in shaping a better future for the communities, especially the young people in building their knowledge on new techniques on organic agriculture.
“The outcome is to sustain the projects and to boost value-chain in terms of production, marketing and address the problems of malnutrition and build up entrepreneurship”, Madam Gesnot told the press.
Italian Embassy’s Silvia Bergamasco, said agriculture is changing, and he used the visit to share his impressions with the production of the 300 hectares rice field at Pakalinding.
Mr. Bergamasco wants the continuity of rice production in the country, reasoning that it goes to improve the nutritional status of the populace, and curb the effects of malnutrition on the citizenry, particularly children among the country’s growing population.
The Project Director of Nema, Mr. Momodou L. Gassama was happy with the visit by the EU Ambassadors, saying it’s “indicative of IFAD’s interest in the projects implemented by Nema Project”. He recalled that the mission commenced with a visit to Darsilameh garden, Bondali Tenda Mangrove site and then Pakalinding Rice field.
The Nema project chief further held, “The visit {of the Ambassadors} is important as it demonstrates IFAD’s recognition of the implementation of our activities by the Nema Project, which is funded by IFAD.”
Gassama reported that their projects have benefited the communities, in the areas of food self-sufficiency, socio-economic development, employment, and also improved their livelihoods.
