By Mamadou Edrisa Njie
In line with the National Development Plan 2018-2021, the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Banjul office, with request from the Ministry of Agriculture, has bankrolled the Gambia’s National Horticulture Strategy which was validated on Tuesday, 19th February, 2020 at the Kairaba Beach Hotel.
As per the executive summary of the document, the goal of the National Horticulture Sector Strategy (NHSS) is to accelerate and sustain the development of the horticulture sector in The Gambia, in order to achieve food security, reduce poverty, create employment, generate wealth through domestic and external trade, and thereby contribute to the socio-economic development and transformation of the country.
In a PowerPoint presentation, Dr.Tijan Jallow, the Consultant who spearheaded the development of the strategy, said horticulture has good potentials in The Gambia, and the prospects for its further development are bright.
Describing horticulture as a key driver of incomes, jobs and poverty reduction, especially among women, he acknowledged that government, through many project interventions supported by partners, “is making serious efforts to develop the sub-sector”.
According to the consultant, despite its good potential and bright prospects, challenges are faced all along the horticulture value chain: inputs and service provision, production, post-harvest, processing and marketing.
He outlined the specific constraints which included lack of knowledge among growers, traders and distributors; limited response to consumer preferences; limited access to high-end market (linkages); and limited access to finance and inadequate infrastructures.
As a result, Gambia continues to import large quantities of horticulture produce that can be grown locally, while the growth of exports lags significantly behind neighboring countries such as Senegal, although growing conditions are similar, as Dr. Jallow told his audience.
A major challenge he also pointed to, is how to transform the sub-sector to a more market-oriented approach in order to boost incomes, raise export earnings and contribute to the socio-economic development of this country.
The validation brought together key players in the horticultural sector. As part of the stakeholder engagement strategy and public consultation process, the validation workshop was designed to bring together key stakeholders for a final review of the draft horticulture strategy, exchange ideas, and agree on the final version of the draft based on a multi-stakeholder participation across different sectors.
Dr. Jallow believed the validation of a National Horticulture Strategy, aligned to the National Development Plan (NDP) 2018-2021, would enhance implementation of the horticulture master plan through various approaches and modalities, including scaling-up and expanding proven initiatives and best practices in order to strengthen actors in horticulture’s competitiveness and livelihoods through diversification and private-sector led value chain approaches.
“The growth in horticulture marketing federations in all the six agricultural regions of the country is a positive development, and these structures are playing a crucial interface role between farmers and other stakeholders in the value chain,” stated Dr. Jallow.
However, he posited that their capacities need to be strengthened so as to render them more effective. Under this strategic objective, he continued, government would focus on strengthening the organizational capacities of these marketing federations through the development of the six regional marketing federations and their apex body to play a more effective role in addressing the needs of their members, by ensuring they have clear strategic and business plans.
Dr. Jallow observed that in the country, processing capacity is limited as there are only a few actors that operate on a large scale by Gambian standards. Therefore, he said support needs to be provided to them, to enable them to grow their businesses to large scale.
Furthermore, he noted that there are many small-scale processors who supply the local market with processed goods, but they are hindered by lack of organization, capital, modern packaging and business skills.
Moreover, they face competition with imported tomato paste, ketchup, hot pepper sauce from countries where production is subsidized.
Agro-processing at large scale would ensure off take of large volumes of products, thereby boosting local production and supply.
About FAO
FAO is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger and improve nutrition and food security. Its Latin motto, fiat panis, translates to “let there be bread”.
Founded in October 1945, the FAO is the oldest existing agency of the U.N.
Headquartered in Rome, Italy, the Agency maintains regional and field offices around the world, operating in over 130 countries. It helps governments and development agencies coordinate their activities to improve and develop agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and land and water resources.
FAO also conducts research, provides technical assistance to projects, operates educational and training programs, and collects data on agricultural output, production, and development.
