Enhancing Sustainable Growth in the Gambia’s Agricultural Sector - GCP/GAM/040/EC
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Project's full title | Enhancing Sustainable Growth in the Gambia’s Agricultural Sector - GCP/GAM/040/EC |
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Countries | Gambia |
Start date | 01/08/2017 |
End date | 31/01/2023 |
Status | Closed |
Donor | European Union |
Recipient / Target Areas | Gambia |
Budget | USD 14 848 313 |
Project Code | GCP/GAM/040/EC |
Objective / Goal | The project contributed significantly to improving food systems in the Gambia through its various interventions, including support to extension services and farmers and the production of policy documents to support agricultural development, among many others. Several key policy documents were produced for the first time in the country. These included the National Agriculture Extension Policy, which made a significant contribution to the delivery of effective agriculture extension services. The project also contributed to national efforts to increase production and productivity by updating the country’s National Seed Policy and developing a comprehensive seed plan. In addition to extensive capacity-building, farmers were provided with access to loans for agricultural production activities through informal community-led financial services. The breeding capacities of young scientists on major food crops were strengthened, resulting in the development of early maturing varieties to mitigate the effects of climate change on crop yields. Vegetable gardens were rehabilitated and/or established, providing around 300 beneficiaries with an alternative source of income to climate-affected field crop production. In addition, agricultural inputs were distributed to 36 358 farming households to mitigate their vulnerability to food insecurity. |
Partners | Ministry of Agriculture (MoA). |
Beneficiaries | Government institutions operating in agriculture, trade and food security/nutrition sectors; smallholder farmers, their cooperatives and associations; private and commercial actors within the value chain. |
Activities |
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Impact | The project interventions successfully contributed to sustainable growth in the agricultural sector in the Gambia. This, in turn, is expected to contribute to reducing food insecurity and malnutrition in the country, and to mitigating migration flows to Europe. The project created job opportunities for youth and women, enhanced the incomes of vulnerable households, and improved their standards of living through targeted activities, such as the introduction of innovative approaches to crop production and the establishment of community vegetable gardens, among others. |
Contact | FAO Representation in Gambia - [email protected] |
SDG(S) | |
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