10 December 2018, Banjul - In a bid to strengthen the capacity of vulnerable smallholder farmers to sustainably boost household food security, nutrition and income, FAO is providing seven communities in the NBR, CRR, URR and LRR with communal vegetables gardens. The intervention is funded through the project “Post-Crisis Response to Food and Nutrition Insecurity in The Gambia”.  

 The gardens measuring from 3.5 to 6.14 hectares will directly benefit more than one thousand farmers more than three quarters of whom are women. The department of Agriculture spearheaded the identification of the beneficiary communities.

FAO signed agreements with the contractors executing the civil works in August 2018.  From November 21 – 25, 2018, FAO handed over the vegetable garden sites to GAMBEL Construction - the contractor for the construction and installation of vegetable garden fencing.

Each garden is being equipped with chain-linked fencing, a multi-purpose centre & toilet block, water distribution system, borehole, over-head tank and solar powered system.  

The beneficiary farmers will receive trainings in Good Agricultural Practices, group governance and leadership. They would also benefit from high quality inputs (seeds and equipment) as well as technical backstopping from both the department and FAO. The intervention is expected to significantly increase vegetables production and consumption in the country by 2021.