Mr. Madi Mbaye of Tubakuta village in Kombo East, West Coast Region (WCR) is a Gambia College graduate with a certificate in General Agriculture. In 2010, he started his personal business of rearing goats, pigs and sheep as well as rearing poultry (birds) in his native village, to support his college education–which he completed in 2017.
In an exclusive interview conducted through WhatsApp, Mbaye highlighted the achievements registered so far and shortfalls in his animal rearing and crop cultivation businesses. He’s elated that part of his successes in the business was that he was able to successfully sponsor his college education from the beginning to the end, with proceeds from his animal breeding.
He remarked, “My achievements are to go to College; and had two pieces of lands at Jenun Kunda in Kombo East District.” Mbaye, however, recalled he had suffered some devastation during last year’s rainy season when the houses for both the poultry and animals were destroyed by heavy rains leaving him hopeless. But with determination and perseverance, Mbaye said he was able to build the houses back; albeit he still needs a borehole for water supply, the absence of which, he indicated, is hindering the progress of his crop farming business.
According to him, his ‘advantage’ in farming and animal rearing is that. he was born in a farming family, and he had studied it at the Gambia College.
Mbaye reiterated ‘lack of water’ as a hindrance to his undertakings, and he called on potential sponsors to help him with a borehole and proper housing for his animals and poultry.