By Mariam Williams
Women farmers from the selected Community Garden Scheme in Upper River Region (URR), Central River Region (CRR), and North Bank Region (NBR), last Thursday received WFP support in the form of seeds and farm tools, through the Gambia Red Cross Society (GRCS).
The support is part of a project titled, ‘Resilience Strengthening of Women Farmers against the Impact of Climate Change and Conflicts.’
Speaking at a handing over ceremony held at the GRCS Headquarters in Kanifing, Mr. Alasan Senghore, Secretary General of Gambia Red Cross Society (GRCS), said the project is critically addressing problems that are beyond the health impact of Covid-19 to human life. He charged that as humanitarian and development practitioners they need to look at some of the medium to long-term implications of the Covid-19 pandemic.
SG Sengore advised that the priority should be looking ahead of the curve in terms of what is going to happen to the livelihood of Gambians even if Covid-19 disappears today.
Nonetheless, he assured that GRCS would continue its commitment of working with all partners, particularly the Gambia Government, in a bid to complement their efforts in improving the lives of Gambians.
The Country Director (CD) of World Food Programme (WFP), Mr.Yasuhiro Tsumura, told the presentation ceremony that, WFP has worked with the Ministry [of agriculture] to ensure the provision of food assistance to complement the government’s efforts. He told them WFP work with partners in the medium and long-term to support the government to improve production efficiencies, promote value addition and facilitate market access of farm produce.
WFP is said to have partnered with GRCS to procure and distribute seeds and tools to 95 community gardens, supporting twenty thousand (20,000) women farmers in the three Regions, with support from FAO and NGOs.
Deputy Permanent Secretary (DPS) at the Ministry of Agriculture, Mr. Musa M. Humma, acknowledged the impact of Covid-19 Public Health Regulations on the sector, lamenting the closing of borders, Lumos, among other places, had direct impacts on the food production system in the Gambia.
“If there is any sector that Covid-19 hit hard, I want to think it is the sector of agriculture,” the Ministry’s second-in-command held.
But Humma said the ministry, with its partners, did a general assessment of the possible impacts of Covid-19 and put up a response plan to mitigate the negative effects of Covid-19 on the sector.
