7 January 2019, Banjul - The Food Technology Services (FTS) of the Department of Agriculture (DOA) has trained 80 rural farmers (78 female and 2 male) in the formulation, processing and preservation of cereal-legume based complementary foods for infants, young children, pregnant and lactating women using locally available ingredients. The practical technology transfer activity held in Jenoi in December targeted FFS members in NBR, LRR, CRR and URR.

The training was designed to improve food safety, quality and utilization for enhanced nutrition for the attainment of the project objective of contributing to the reduction of food insecurity and malnutrition in The Gambia.

Each of the trainees is expected to conduct step down training for members of his/her FFS members with the sole aim of improving Knowledge and skills for pregnant women and caregivers of children under 2 in nutrition and care practices. The trainings would be complemented with the conduct of social behavioral change communication (SBCC) to improve nutrition and care habits.

Call for action for zero hunger

Fatou Darboe, Principal Food Technology Officer, FTS and Lamin Marong, National Coordinator, Farmer Field School encouraged participants to embrace the processing and preservation of complementary foods as a business and help create employment opportunities and wealth.Seedy Fofana, Director of FTS, advised participants to give high premium to products’ quality and safety to help safeguard public health and boost trade and incomes.