The Gambia Inclusive and Resilient Agricultural Value Chain Development Project (GIRAV), a 40 million World Bank Finance Project to support agricultural value chain development and to move from subsistence to more market-oriented agriculture on Monday, 15th July 2024 signed contracts of 40 women and youths’ gardens to be constructed across the country.
The project is focusing on five priority value chains namely: Rice (substituting for increasing imports); Horticulture (vegetables and mangoes for urban centers and export) Cashew (for domestic processing and export) Poultry (for urban centers); and Maize (for poultry feed).
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Mod A.K Secka Permanent Secretary Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Security stated that as they are signing these contracts today, they want all the contractors to make sure that they deliver on time in other not to delay the project and as well the benefits that the communities would drive from it,
The Permanent Secretary further urged the project team to put all mechanics in place to monitor the delivery of the contract on time.
Also speaking at the signing ceremony, Hon. Dr. Demba Sabally Minister of Agriculture reminded the gathering that in total they are signing about 40 gardens with boreholes, irrigational materials, fencing etc
The 40 gardens to be constructed are for both women and youths and it is necessary in their drive for food security.
“I want to congratulate the community beneficiaries and the contractors for going through the process which is was transparent,” he said.
The issues of contractors according to the hon. minister have been hunting government projects for a long time now as we had experienced this in other projects.
“The communities are expecting a lot from us so the timely deliverance of these gardens is important since it would be a life changing for the communities as it will economically empower the women and youths and also minimize our import bill from our neighboring countries as far as vegetables are concern,” he added.
He further concluded by stating that all of these would not be realized if the contractors are unable to deliver on time and in a quality manner.