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Momodou
Denmark
11634 Posts |
 Posted - 18 Dec 2007 : 21:46:48
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Farmers Express Concern
What Could Be done To support Them?
By Sarjo Camara Singhateh
Farmers in the Central River region have expressed concerns over the trade season and constraints affecting their work. This reporter visited both banks of the region and had interviews with farmers.
Speaking to this reporter, Mr. Samba Saye a 65 year old man, said farming then and now have a very big difference. He stated that in the past the Agriculture Department used to help farmers with fertilizers and insecticides for the farming period and facilities to store their produce. “We are doing our best but
we have constraints, we have no place to sell our produce,”
He stated earlier, “we don’t have sympathy for each other, sometimes we want to do farming but we have no seeds.”
“We sometimes don’t have fertilizer and insecticides. If you don’t have money you cannot buy them, we sometimes go to Senegal and get fertilizer,” said Samba Saye.
“Water is our problem and we have only one well which is deep. With this situation, women cannot do gardening. We have children that are going to school compared to our time,” he said.
Payment of school fees is another thing. We cannot afford to pay their school fees. Bamba Boye, from Andulie in CRR, Fulladu West said;
“We have not seen any trade season yet.” He suggested that the Government chips in to support farmers.
Bikeh Boye also from Andulie expressed similar sentiments. We farm only groundnut, maize and other cereals for our family’s upkeep,” Bike remarked.
On his part Assan Camara of Demfaye also stated that the constraints they have during the trade season have compelled him to grow water melon, cassava and sweet potatoes. Because they sometimes need money and they do not have it on time.
He urged the Government to come to their aid so that each year they (the farmers) can expect bumper harvest.
He said some of them use horse carts to transport their groundnuts to “lumos” and neighbouring Senegal, because they need money and the Muslim feast is around the corner.
He stated that selling their products outside The Gambia is not good for them likewise the country, but they do so because they have no option.
Source: Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issues
Issue No. 148, 17 – 18 December 2007
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