By Mamadou Edrisa Njie
Mr. Sibity Jallow, a man who raises plant nursery seedlings in a 5 by 10-meter space at his backyard in Touba Kuta village, Niani District of the Central River Region North (CRR North), said he has generated D80,000 dalasis from the first two sales of his nursery seedlings.
Jallow started the trade in 2002 and this year, he participated in a training programme organised by the Action Against Desertification (AAD) project; a three-year European Union (EU) funded project to support the implementation of the “Great Green Wall for Sahara and Sahel Initiative” executed by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Banjul office.
He raises mangoes, cashew and white silk cotton – Ceiba pentandra- (Bantango), with available clientele from both The Gambia and Senegal.
The former Kuntaur Ward councilor, expounding on his enterprise, informed that he underwent the nursery seedlings management training in Senegal, where he later worked for an organization called ENDA, before starting his own nursery seedlings trade in 2002.
He told this to Mansa Banko Online News in an interview: “My activity is limited at my backyard because I am not receiving support to produce nursery seedlings in large scale. Through my training, I now have a wider understanding of how to avoid pests like termites, on my seedlings.”
According to Jallow, he has a 200-square meter land size and intends to move his nursing seedlings activity there, but because support is not forthcoming, he could not do that yet.
“I love this trade and I want to continue with or without support. But I will appreciate it if I can have support, like funding,” he said.
He encourages young people of Niani to be involved in tree nursery business, saying he is willing to provide training to anyone who is ready for the trade.
The AAD project aims to address hunger, poverty and the impact of climate change through the implementation of activities that will promote sustainable forest and resilience building approaches.
It is implemented by The Gambia government, through the Department of Forestry and partners, to address land degradation and desertification in the northern bank and the northern banks of Central and Upper River Regions.
The project engages 28 community forest villages and 30 lower and basic cycle schools on restoration of ecosystems.
