Mr. Salieu Darboe is the proprietor of the Rural Agricultural Development Farm (RADFARM) located in Jali village of Kiang West, Lower River Region.
The seasoned farmer, who has worked with various public and private departments including the Forestry, and Medical Research Council (MRC)-The Gambia, claimed that the government of the Gambia has no clear-cut approaches to, or programs for, the national vision of food self-sufficiency; maintaining that, even if such exist, as claimed by some, “it hasn’t work for Gambians still now”.
Proprietor Darboe informed this medium that he’s offering business advisory services, mentorship, training and coaching to others. “I do consultancy work on data collection, survey as well as land demarcations,” he added, stating his farm also serves as a training and demonstration center for technical and innovative agriculture. “I currently have oranges of different varieties.”
According to him, it has been in “the gene of most rural Gambians” to depend entirely on rainfall as a means of sustenance; working for only three months in the rainy season and live on the proceeds of those yields for twelve months. He noted that such types of farming put farmers in severe debts before the next rainy season, considering the extended family responsibilities. Adding it’s still the same trend that obtains till today, Darboe held: “I believe the failure of all three Gambian governments shouldn’t make us fail as individuals and societies.”
In his view, rural Gambia has all the resources (needed) as there are a lot of assets at the disposal of these people considered as poor. He intimated that resources are available there, but all they need “is a change in mindset and approach”; that “demonstration has to be in place to inspire people.”
As usual for many Gambian farmers and entrepreneurs, Darboe is confronted with lack of [adequate] water supply and capital as his borehole got damaged and he couldn’t fix it, consequently, most of his crops died in the process. He had to resort to a ‘hand dug well’ as alternative to provide water for the crops because he lacks the financial muscles to erect another borehole.
His solar system also developed problems which forced him to be watering his plants in every other day, to systematically sustain them. He couldn’t plant more trees and vegetables because, as he said, there is no enough water. “Currently, I have 330 oranges of different varieties,” the Proprietor of RADFARM told Mansa Banko Online. Darboe indicated that he had been consulted by many people in his region, and has inspired many people to go into farming. He said his goal is to embark on an outreach training program on entrepreneurship within the LRR region and beyond.
“I want those assets and possessions owned by the rural communities to be turned into investment opportunities for them to benefit from it,” Darboe pointed out. He also wants to help farmers in the region to utilize their vast arable lands for all-year around farming activities, in order for them to attain self-food sufficiency. He charged that for the Gambia to achieve its food target, government must develop sustainable innovative policies to turn subsistence into commercial agriculture.
To involve local communities in decision-making, especially regarding policies that affect them, should be given due regard, he charged. Darboe indicated that government should be at the center stage of investing in its citizens, in terms of entrepreneurship. He observed that there had been numerous training programmes but lack of capital for startups is always a problem, chiding “this is just like a trained soldier without a weapon in the middle of the war”.
The Rural Agricultural Development Farm chief pointed to “lack of water and funding” as his “biggest challenges”, while admitting his farming activities had been faced with lots of ‘misfortunes’ but he’s still determined.
Darboe underlined concluded by reminding that government has a role to play in the development and welfare of its people, and if they failed, they would be held to account, if not here but hereafter.
