505-08 US$14M Agric project launched in LRR
The Livestock and Horticulture Development Project (LHDP) under the Ministry of Agriculture amounting to US$14 million was launched Saturday April 10th at the Agricultural Rural Farmers Training Centre in Jenoi village, Lower River Region (LRR).
The project, which aims to boost agricultural production in the country with specific focus on women and youths, is backed by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the African Development Bank (ADB). The launching ceremony was followed by a forum meant to sensitize stakeholders on the project with various presentations on horticulture, livestock as well as the manner and ways in which the project will be monitored and evaluated.
The occasion attracted participants such as chiefs, farmers, local government authorities, women councilors as well as staff of the Agriculture Ministry, among others. In his launching statement, Lamin Waa Juwara, the governor of LRR, hailed the Gambian leader, His Excellency Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh for his support to the agriculture sector. He spoke at length on the significant role agriculture continues to play on the livelihood of Gambians, while emphasizing that culture and agriculture must be preserved for any meaningful development to take place.
Governor Lamin Waa Juwara
Governor Juwara described the launching of the project as not only timely but also important when one considers the impact it could have on the lives of the beneficiaries especially the people of LRR. He finally assured of his office's continued support for the project. For his part, Abdourahman Jobe, permanent secretary No 2, Ministry of Agriculture, thanked the donors for complementing government's efforts especially in the agriculture sector. He commended President Jammeh, who is also the minister of Agriculture, for his efforts, while reiterating his office's commitment to the development of the sector.
He then urged the people of LRR to see the project as their own and to make efforts to ensure that it is successful. Momodou Mbye Jabang of the Central Project Coordinating Unit (CPCU) at the Ministry of Agriculture called on all and sundry to put hands together in order to make sure that the project is a success. He explained that the LHDP project is a follow-up to the Peri-urban Small Holders Improvement Project (PSIP) saying the successful implementation of the PSIP led to the launching of the LHDP.
He added that unlike the previous project, which centered on the North Bank and Western Region, the LHDP covers all the regions of the country. Jabang disclosed that the government of The Gambia is negotiating with the Islamic Development Bank to join the co-financing of funding the development of agricultural infrastructure such as access to roads, storage as well as markets and transportation. He then urged the beneficiaries especially those in the LRR to take advantage of the project.
