By: Dawda Baldeh
Ebrima Tunkara, a ‘backway’ migrant returnee, who is now a farmer in Kerewan Suwareh Kunda village, has expressed his willingness to stay in The Gambia and focus on farming if he receives support from the government in the form of a tractor.
Tunkara, who previously attempted the perilous journey to Europe by sea, faced difficulties and returned to farming due to depression.
Although many young people in the country prefer more lucrative jobs, Tunkara is passionate about farming and dreams of becoming a successful farmer.
He believes that with the necessary support, such as a tractor and fertilizer, he could cultivate enough rice for his family and even sell the surplus for profit, eliminating the need to buy rice.
“If I have the support, I can cultivate enough rice for my family and sell [some too].
“We need to go back to the farm and cultivate rice if we want to reduce the dependence on imported rice,” he said.
Tunkara highlighted the importance of modern farming equipment and fertilizer, stating that even a small farm can achieve a bumper harvest with these resources.
In addition to groundnut farming, he is also involved in watermelon farming and has experienced success in both areas.
However, the lack of cold storage facilities has resulted in income loss due to spoilage.
During the rainy season, Tunkara and his siblings, who are learning various skills, return to the farm.
Tunkara said that this year, their groundnut farms, rice fields, and watermelon crops have all shown exceptional growth.
He emphasized the importance of growing more rice to reduce the dependency on imported rice and lower its price in the local market.
Tunkara believes that if the government provides support to farmers like him, the country’s reliance on imported rice will decrease, leading to a significant reduction in its price.
