By Yero S. Bah
The founder and Manager of AquaOrganic Farm in Kololi, Mr. Muhammed S. Jallow, has suggested that the Gambia government should upgrade the Agricultural syllabus into “Agribusiness”, so as to encourage youth involvement in farming, stressing “farmers are the oxygen of this country”.
In an interview with this medium, Jallow said they are practicing greenhouse farming, cultivating and producing “high-quality,healthy and fresh” organic vegetables with freshwater fish crops such as lettuce, tomato, green pepper and cucumber. “The crops are 100% organic, meaning no chemical is involved,” Jallow told this medium.
The young greenhouse farmer recalled after his high school education whilst searching for job, he came to realize that without skills it would be hard [for him] to get employment. That was how he decided to join an environmental organization for volunteerism, saying from that he networked with so many environmentalists. “Then I saw a flyer about helping hand for women gardeners in Banjulinding garden,” the third-year student of the University of The Gambia refreshed, adding his farming inspiration grew up from a weeding exercise he did with the Banjulinding women gardeners. He developed some curiosity and sympathy for these women gardeners from that hard labour exercise, saying it was from that weeding exercise that he raised lots of questions to these women about gardening or farming in the Gambia.
Jallow recounted that from the responses he got from these gardeners, he then asked myself: What do I have to offer to change all these narratives and challenges to get youth into farming? Is there any farming system that allows less water usage and small space?’
As deduced from the AquaOrganic Farm Manager’s narration, the above rhetorically questions led him to an online research about farming technologies wherein he came across Greenhouse farming technology. With this system, Jallow held, they could end food insecurity, create employment, and encourage youth into agribusiness because to him, there is less labour, less water usage, and moreover, it’s environmentally friendly as well as not prone to pest or diseases.
Jallow, a former Nusrat High School student and Auditor General of the Young Farmers Association (YFA), divulged that the challenges he faces are numerous such as lack of greenhouse materials, capital and limited national agricultural data. He believes the above challenges exist because greenhouse farming is new in the Gambia, and most dealers don’t import its materials because people are always sceptical about the idea, including family members as well.
Citing limited recorded data, in the agricultural sector, for future decisions in the Gambia, Jallow claimed they always liaise with one Lebanese national who usually imports these greenhouse materials for them, whilst utilizing the internet…to keep proper data collection and storage for national use.
“We are highly in need of finance to expand our business to other areas,” the AquaOrganic farm founder pointed out. He reasoned, should they get these funds, they would be able get three big greenhouses with water supply that would meet the demands of their customers, and also have a space for training of other youth who might want to venture into greenhouse farming, saying their believe the youth are the future. Jallow further said they need funds to operate their offices for administrative work.
Farm Manager Jallow maintained the market is readily available since their customers are hotels, restaurants, and supermarkets. He advised that for one to penetrate the hotel market, you have to be a consistent year-round producer and sustainable because they also consider their customers.
“We use biochar as an organic fertilizer,” Jallow concluded.
[Biochar is a charcoal-like substance that’s made by burning organic material from agricultural and forestry wastes (also called biomass) in a controlled process called pyrolysis].
