• About
  • Contact
  • Donate/Support
  • Subscribe
Mansa Banko Online
Advertisement
  • Home
  • News
  • Agric
  • Business
  • Health
  • Politics
  • Science/Tech
  • More
    • Education
    • Human Rights
    • Sports
    • Energy
    • Environment
    • Migration
    • Opinion
    • Tourism
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Agric
  • Business
  • Health
  • Politics
  • Science/Tech
  • More
    • Education
    • Human Rights
    • Sports
    • Energy
    • Environment
    • Migration
    • Opinion
    • Tourism
No Result
View All Result
Mansa Banko Online
No Result
View All Result
Home Agriculture

Commercialization of Cassava Is Our Target- Tom Senghore of Horticulture Unit

M.E Njie by M.E Njie
August 20, 2020
in Agriculture
0
Commercialization of Cassava Is Our Target- Tom Senghore of Horticulture Unit
0
SHARES
122
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

By Yero S. Bah

The National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI) in conjunction with various private sector development partners, had launched a conglomerate cassava production and commercialization activity in the Gambia. It is geared towards helping the cassava growers realize some large scale production and market improvements of the crop in the country.

According to the Officer-in-Charge of Horticulture Unit under the Crop Research Directorate, Mr. Tom Senghore, the cassava program is not a project per se but an ongoing activity conducted by his Unit in partnership with GIZ International Services- the funder of the cassava program  under the Tekki Fii project funded by the European Union (EU); Global Youth Innovation Network (GYIN) Gambia Chapter;  ASPUNA Gambia Limited; and the Horticulture Technical Services of the Department of Agriculture, to make sure cassava production is boosted in the country since there now exists a market for this crop in the Gambia. He said they want to commercialize the cassava, simply put, “making it cash crop is our target in the country”.

The agriculturist revealed this information to Mansa Banko Online yesterday in an exclusive interview at his office in Yundum, stating the activity is meant to support youth by growing enough cassava for commercialization because ASPUNA Company Limited is here, ready to purchase this crop in large scale and process it into finished products such as flour and starch in the country. While the flour would be for the local market, the starch, as he said, would be exported out of the Gambia.

“The issue of farmers complaining lack of market is already solved by Aspuna Company Limited situated in Duawa-Su in Kombo East West Coast Region,” the Horticulture Unit head assured. He continued that his office came into the activity to help sensitize farmers on how to make satisfactory yield to be able to sell to the company on a “win-win” scale, reasoning Aspuna buys one kilogram of the cassava tubers for six dalasi (D6.00) and farmers saw this as small price for local varieties which was a fact. But with the imported and improved cassava variety, Senghore believes farmers could produce more on the same size of the land and that would enable them earn more cash in return as well as profits.

He noted that in the Gambia, people use the cassava on a limited scale in terms of finished products but argues that the crop can be consumed or utilized in several ways. Revealing his office is partnering with centers of excellence around the globe such as International Institute for Tropical Agriculture based in Nigeria, the Gambian horticulture expert informed that, they usually import varieties from external partners to improve on them by conducting multiplication, screening, adaptability trials, palatability test, consumer taste and preference to find out if such varieties could do better in the Gambia before expanding them to the rest of the country.

He said the selection process of youth in Lower River Region, West Coast Region, and Upper River Region was done because the GIZ Tekkii FII project operates within these three regions; that GYIN Gambia played an important role in selecting these youth in all the targeted regions for this cassava activity.

The Crop Research Directorate official further said Aspuna Gambia Limited is giving out fertilizer to these farmers for better production and to boost the quality of the crops, as the company plans to purchase all of it after harvest.

Senghore went on to disclose that his office has distributed the new variety to twenty farmers, each farmer receiving 500 cuttings; but he pointed out that the overall activity targets about 100,000 to 200,000 cuttings to be made available to farmers. He promised, “All trained farmers under these out grower scheme will be given cuttings of these improved cassava varieties.”

OiC Senghore held that Aspuna Company limited could process over 25,000 tons in four hours, therefore reassuring of a market for cassava growers in the country with the presence of this company. There are different food products one could get from cassava, as Senghore described it as a climate resilient crop that could withstand longer draught compared to other crops.

On the challenges their activity faced, the Horticulture Unit’s Officer-in-Charge recalled that farmers were skeptical about the weighing scale and selling their products in kilograms, since Gambian farmers are always used to the local ‘Saam’ [allot] way of selling crops in local markets. However, he said his office has conducted several sensitization programmes for farmers apprising them that it’s actually in their best interest to formally and properly weigh their crops and products before selling.

Agronomist Senghore maintained if “farmers develop” in this country then that would trickle down to the grassroots economy thereby triggering economic growth; while disclosing plans are underway to have this activity as a national project.

He concluded by intimating that his office would give all the necessary support to local farmers and agricultural entrepreneurs so as to boost the agricultural production in the country.

 

Tags: ASPUNA Gambia LtdCassavaCommercialization of CassavaCropFarmersGYIN GambiaHorticulture UnitNARIresearchYouth
Previous Post

Heavy Windstorm, Rains Destroy parts of Kampassa Primary School

Next Post

COVID-19 response: Project Aid The Gambia donates 34 ventilators to Ministry of Health

M.E Njie

M.E Njie

Mamadou Edrisa Njie is the Publisher and Managing Editor of Mansa Banko Online. Mansa Banko Online is a Gambia-based online newspaper focusing on agricultural reporting. The online medium reports on quality, reliable, factual and authoritative information. Mr. Njie is an alumna of the International Institute for Journalism (IIJ) in Germany and studied Mass Communication at the Institute of Professional Administration and Management (IPAM) in Banjul, The Gambia.

Related Posts

RUFORUM SEEKS TO BOOST AFRICAN UNIVERSITIES WITH CUTTING-EDGE SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Agriculture

RUFORUM SEEKS TO BOOST AFRICAN UNIVERSITIES WITH CUTTING-EDGE SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

by M.E Njie
May 6, 2025
GoTG, WB Conclude Negotiations for USD68M as Additional Financing for the GIRAV Project
Agriculture

GoTG, WB Conclude Negotiations for USD68M as Additional Financing for the GIRAV Project

by Press Release
March 26, 2024
Agric. PS Encourages Farmers to Keep Their Own Seeds, Embrace Commercial Agriculture
Agriculture

Agric. PS Encourages Farmers to Keep Their Own Seeds, Embrace Commercial Agriculture

by Press Release
October 2, 2023
DoA, GIRAV Project train Agriculture Extension Workers on Yield Sampling, Survey and Measurement Techniques
Agriculture

DoA, GIRAV Project train Agriculture Extension Workers on Yield Sampling, Survey and Measurement Techniques

by M.E Njie
September 20, 2023
Stakeholders validate GIRAV project supported E-extension ICT Platform for Agricultural Extension Delivery and Management
Agriculture

Stakeholders validate GIRAV project supported E-extension ICT Platform for Agricultural Extension Delivery and Management

by M.E Njie
September 7, 2023
Next Post
COVID-19 response: Project Aid The Gambia donates 34 ventilators to Ministry of Health

COVID-19 response: Project Aid The Gambia donates 34 ventilators to Ministry of Health

Latest Post

Two Women Leaders to Unveil Amazon Best-Selling Book on Modern Leadership in The Gambia

Two Women Leaders to Unveil Amazon Best-Selling Book on Modern Leadership in The Gambia

May 11, 2025
RUFORUM SEEKS TO BOOST AFRICAN UNIVERSITIES WITH CUTTING-EDGE SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

RUFORUM SEEKS TO BOOST AFRICAN UNIVERSITIES WITH CUTTING-EDGE SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

May 6, 2025
EU YOUTH EMPOWERMENT PROJECT (YEP) – TOURISM AND CREATIVE INDUSTRIES LAUNCH TO CREATE JOBS FOR WOMEN AND YOUTH

EU YOUTH EMPOWERMENT PROJECT (YEP) – TOURISM AND CREATIVE INDUSTRIES LAUNCH TO CREATE JOBS FOR WOMEN AND YOUTH

February 17, 2025
GYIN Gambia and Doorways to Train 30 Youth Entrepreneurs on Personal Initiative (PI)

GYIN Gambia and Doorways to Train 30 Youth Entrepreneurs on Personal Initiative (PI)

February 14, 2025
Sunu Reew Medical Mission donates medical equipment to EFSTH

Sunu Reew Medical Mission donates medical equipment to EFSTH

February 11, 2025
COMHAFAT and COMAIP Sign Memorandum of Understanding to enhance sustainable fishing in Africa

COMHAFAT and COMAIP Sign Memorandum of Understanding to enhance sustainable fishing in Africa

February 5, 2025
Sunu Reew, Silicon Valley African Film Festival collaborate to bring health and promote arts in Gambia

Sunu Reew, Silicon Valley African Film Festival collaborate to bring health and promote arts in Gambia

February 4, 2025

Browse by Tags

AfDB Africa Agriculture Banjul business Children Climate Change Covid-19 COVID19 Development ECOWAS Education EU European Union FAO Farmers Finance Food Food Security Gambia Garden Government GYIN Gambia Health Human Rights IFAD Market Migration National Assembly Nigeria People Poultry Poverty Project Rice Rural Senegal The Gambia Trade United Nations Water Women World Bank YEP Youth

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Categories

  • Agriculture
  • Business
  • Crime
  • Education
  • Energy
  • Environment
  • FAO
  • Health
  • Human Rights
  • IFAD
  • Migration
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Politics
  • Press Release
  • Science/Tech
  • Security
  • Sports
  • Tourism
  • Youth

Browse by Tag

AfDB Africa Agriculture Banjul business Children Climate Change Covid-19 COVID19 Development ECOWAS Education EU European Union FAO Farmers Finance Food Food Security Gambia Garden Government GYIN Gambia Health Human Rights IFAD Market Migration National Assembly Nigeria People Poultry Poverty Project Rice Rural Senegal The Gambia Trade United Nations Water Women World Bank YEP Youth

Recent Posts

  • Two Women Leaders to Unveil Amazon Best-Selling Book on Modern Leadership in The Gambia
  • RUFORUM SEEKS TO BOOST AFRICAN UNIVERSITIES WITH CUTTING-EDGE SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
  • EU YOUTH EMPOWERMENT PROJECT (YEP) – TOURISM AND CREATIVE INDUSTRIES LAUNCH TO CREATE JOBS FOR WOMEN AND YOUTH
  • About
  • Contact
  • Donate/Support
  • Subscribe

Facebook Page

Facebook Page
Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy

© 2020 Mansa Banko Online | Powered by Faalen Technologies.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Agric
  • Business
  • Health
  • Politics
  • Science/Tech
  • More
    • Education
    • Human Rights
    • Sports
    • Energy
    • Environment
    • Migration
    • Opinion
    • Tourism

© 2020 Mansa Banko Online | Powered by Faalen Technologies.

Are you sure want to unlock this post?
Unlock left : 0
Are you sure want to cancel subscription?