Source: FOROYAA
The women horticultural gardeners in the settlements of Brufut, Kembujeh and Lamin have during the course of last week, through the Gambia Horticultural Producers and Exporters (GAMHOPE), benefited from support in the form of assorted vegetable production inputs provided by the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) project under the Ministry of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment.
The objective of this EIF intervention is to increase producer productivity and yields to enhance household incomes and contribute to food security.
The EIF is a multi donor funded process that aims to help beneficiary countries and communities address supply-side constraints and to make aid for trade work. He said the support is a direct intervention that is meant to enhance the productive capacity of the beneficiaries. they also have plans for the vegetables produced by the beneficiaries to access the tourism sector market such as the hotels.
The 3 vegetable production gardens are selected based on their proximity to Banjul International Airport for easy transportation of harvest for export. seven crop variety seeds namely Onions red, Cabbage, Eggplant, Hot Chilli, Tomato, Okra and Cucumber) are being distributed among 480 farmers in these 3 gardens and that each farmer will have 25g of vegetable seeds depending on demand of variety. Fertilizer (Urea and NPK - compound) and watering cans are also reportedly distributed.
The GAMHOPE Representative said the total amount provided by the EIF for the purchase of these garden inputs for the three gardens is D 217, 650 (Two hundred and seventeen thousand six hundred and fifty dalasi).
Mr. Suwareh said the marketing of the produce will be undertaken by GAMHOPE members to expose these smallholders to the export markets and that the monitoring and supervision of the pilot project will also be carried out by GAMHOPE members.
He said a one day training on pest and disease management as well as vegetable production techniques session will also be conducted in each of the 3 garden sites at Brufut, Kembujeh and Kombo Lamin.