Farming for the Future in The Gambia, West Africa
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| Local community members preparing a breakfast of ground millet. A diet lacking in diversity is a major problem in the Gambia. |
In 2003, the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) supported an Exploratory Phase Mission to the Gambia. As a result, partnerships were developed between REAP-Canada, the Njawara Agricultural Training Centre (NATC), Agency Village Support -The Gambia or AVISU (previously known as Village AiD-The Gambia or VATG), and the Gambia National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI). NATC, is a local NGO established by the community for the purpose of training both male and female farmers in sustainable agro-forestry techniques. AVISU is working with women to overcome economic and social barriers to securing livelihood and basic rights. NARI is the Gambia's principal agricultural research and development institute focusing on the advancement of livestock, horticulture, agronomy, and agro-forestry systems. The three organizations have previously collaborated largely on small-scale projects, but are now working together to complement each other's expertise in a larger collaborative effort.
The partners agreed that a holistic and integrated development approach was required to respond to the interrelated challenges of soil infertility, environmental degradation, and lack of income generating opportunities in the Gambia. Introducing diversified ecological farming systems would not only increase the soil's fertility but also enhance crop production, suppress weed growth, inhibit pests and diseases, increase food security, generate more income, reduce use of chemical inputs and improve the health and nutrition of farmers and their families. Between the partners, two CIDA-sponsored development projects were implemented successfully in various regions of the country.
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| A Gambian farmer pleased with his improved Cassava plant variety. Through learning farms, Gambian farmers are testing and distributing improved plant materials adapted to ecological farming. |
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| Female farmer discusses water problems in the village and develops solutions with other residents |
The Gambia Ecological Agriculture Development (GEAD) Project
The GEAD project was developed to assist 2 communities in the North Bank Division in the Gambia. Phase 1 of the GEAD Project, initiated in February 2004, involved the introduction of the Agro-Ecological Village Development model by the Njawara Agricultural Training Centre (NATC) as a new approach for sustainable community development as a means to reduce poverty, enhance food security, increase self-reliance and reduce environmental degradation in some of the most impoverished areas of the Gambia. In collaboration with the Gambia's National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI), the project improved the plant material base for ecological farming of community gardens and farms in impoverished areas through a participatory plant material improvement program, and encouraged the development of gender-sensitive agrarian communities through participatory assessment, participatory farmer-to-farmer training and participatory on-farm research approaches.The Gambia Agro-Ecological Village (GAEV) Development Project
The GAEV Project was initiated in August 2004 with REAP-Canada, Njawara Agricultural Training Centre, AVISU, and NARI. The partners implemented the Agro-Ecological Village Development model in three villages to reduce poverty, enhance food security, increase self-reliance and reduce environmental degradation. The project also introduced the Mayon Turbo Stove (MTS) into communities in CRD and North Bank Division (NBD) as a pilot project to help alleviate pressure on deforestation from fuelwood gathering.During implementation, the GEAD and GAEV projects achieved the following:
- PRA's were conducted in 5 rural communities, the results of which were used during Participatory Action Planning sessions to develop a project workplan and action plan for ecological agriculture development
- 40 farmer trainers trained on ecological methods (50% women)
- A total of 495 individual trainings have been delivered with an average of 50% female participation
- 41 learning farms/gardens successfully established, applying the methods introduced in farmer training in different soil conditions and on a diversity of improved field crops and vegetables, including maize, millet, sweet potato, cassava, rice, groundnut and fodders. Adaptation success for these crops was also assessed
- "Hungry season" learning gardens established to test dry season vegetables and fruits such as such as eggplant, sweet pepper, hot pepper, okra, tomato, cowpea, pigeon pea, Jordan black bean, sweet corn, eggplant lettuce, cabbage, bitter tomato and onion.
- Learning farms were also established to demonstrate agro-forestry species, legume-grass mixtures and fodder grasses such as Gliricidia, Cassia samia and several other warm season grasses
- 71 farmers were able to access the improved vegetable and crop materials for the learning farms
- 40 farm plans created after trainings on soil quality improvements, crop yields and food security management
Local farmers and trainers were quite active in visiting the learning farms and sharing their experiences through the farmer training network and farmers associations. Some innovations were very quickly adopted on a wide-scale including the spread of improved rice varieties, and composting bio-residues in the fields to increase soil fertility and reduce weed infestation. Farmer Associations established and trained on group management, leadership, constitutional development, record keeping, communication, resource management, and PM&E activities
Increased understanding of ecological methods among farmers already became evident through these pilot efforts in the Gambia Communication among farmer trainers and community farmers is continuing to develop greater interest in ecological agriculture practices and the AEV approach and farmers confidence in ecological agriculture in the communities has already noticeably increased.
The Gaining Ground in Gamiba and Senegal (GGIGS) Project
The GGIGS Project was initiated in August 2008 with REAP-Canada, Njawara Agricultural Training Centre, AVISU, and NARI along with new partners Association pour la promotion de la femme sénégalaise (APROFES). This three year project will involve all partner organizations in the development of 10 Agro-Ecological Villages across Gambia and Senegal. The project will encourage the adoption of ecological agriculture and livestock management to increase soil conservation and agricultural productivity. The project will include farmer-to-farmer training of 40 farmer trainers and 500 local farmers, as well as the development of learning farms and farmers associations in each community.To learn more about our programming in the Gambia, refer to the documents in our on-line library.







