Hon Fatou Kinteh, Hon Dr Mamadou Tangara and Dr Mustapha Ceesay holding project documents.

In a collaborative effort between the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Government of The Gambia, a transformative initiative to empower rural women and youth in 14 selected communities through a Horticulture Project has been set in motion. This groundbreaking endeavour, known as "Enhancing Vegetable Production and Processing for Rural Women and Youth in The Gambia"  Project is granted a sum of USD954,915.00 (about 55 million Dalasis).

Hon. Dr. Mamadou Tangara, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad officiated the signing occasion on Wednesday, 06 September 2023. Ambassador Yabou, Hon. Mrs. Fatou Kinteh, Minister of Gender, Children and Social Welfare and Dr Mustapha Ceesay, Assistant FAO Representative witnessed the signing ceremony.  Thereafter Moshibudi Rampedi, FAO Representative and Dr. Desta Tiruneh, ad interim UN Resident Coordinator appended their signatures to the Project Document.

This project was made possible through the facilitation of Ambassador Lang Yabou while serving in New York and the generous contributions of the Governments of India, Brazil, and South Africa (IBSA) via the Facility for Poverty and Hunger Alleviation (IBSA Fund) under the United Nations South-South Cooperation Office.

This vital two-year undertaking will be conducted in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Welfare, and the Ministry of Agriculture. It holds a promise of bolstering vegetable production, enhancing food security, and alleviating poverty among the rural women and youth of The Gambia. FAO's technical expertise will be instrumental in increasing agricultural production and facilitating effective marketing strategies.

Notably, the horticulture sector plays a pivotal role in The Gambia's agricultural landscape, providing employment  and livelihood opportunities for a substantial portion of the population, particularly women. The sector needs technical support and green focused  responsible investment to address limited access to water, energy supply, irrigation, markets and storage facilities. Over the course of two years, this project aims to address these challenges, thus fortifying the sector's contribution to sustainable economic growth, better lives, better nutrition and a better environment.

Furthermore, this initiative aligns perfectly with the country's aspirations of achieving food self-sufficiency and mitigating the risks that young people face when embarking on perilous journeys to Europe. It concentrates its efforts on four key areas: Production Support, Value Addition, Marketing and Monitoring and Evaluation.

This project represents a beacon of hope, a catalyst for change, and a testament to the power of collaboration in driving positive transformation in the lives of rural women and youth while advancing the cause of food security in The Gambia.