BANJUL, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Peanut and rice farmers in The Gambia have expressed worries over the timely availability of fertilizer ahead of the rainy season which is expected in June.
"We are worried like always because it's a norm the government will not provide us fertilizer on time even though we need it at the right time. This has all the time had a serious impact on the outcome of our production. Farming is so dear to us because it is what earns us our living," said Abdou Fanneh who resides in Wellingara in the Central River Region of the country.
Fanneh cultivates groundnut every rainy season, but he said his gains are hampered by either inadequate fertilizer supply or late supply from the government. He said as a family man, it is difficult for him to buy the required number of fertilizer bags for his field because he has a huge household to feed.
"It's difficult for me to buy three bags of fertilizer when I have a family to feed. Normally in a month, I will have to buy three bags of rice which cost me almost D4,000 (about 100 U.S. dollars)," he said.
Kani Camara, a peanut grower in the Upper River Region, also urged the government to help them with fertilizer to boost their gains. "We depend on this for our livelihoods. We don't have any other means to survive, therefore the government should be providing us with fertilizer. This will help us a lot", she said.
She added with effective supply of farming tools including fertilizer, they will be able to feed themselves and poverty could reduce.
Ebrima Sarr from the North Bank Region said the farming sector should be prioritized. "When subsistence farmers are empowered, they will take care of themselves and the next thing is that they will think of going further into commercial system".
The spokesperson of the presidency, Amie Bojang-Sissoho has announced on Wednesday that the government will purchase 7,500 metric tons of fertilizer for the 2019 rainy season.
According to her, this is part of President Adama Barrow's economic policy to transfer the rudimentary farming system to mechanized farming.
"The Ministry of Agriculture in partnership with National Food Security Processing and Marketing Corporation is procuring a total of 7,500 tons of metric fertilizer for the rainy season this year. The government is ensuring that farmers' access to farming inputs and implements are given a priority for the upcoming farming season as in line with the policy," she said.
Bojang also informed that the agriculture ministry together with Food and Agriculture Organization will procure certified seeds from the Gambian seed growers.
Three-quarters of the Gambian population depends on agriculture for livelihood, and the sector contributes about one third to the gross domestic product.
