By: Dawda Baldeh
Reacting to the reduction of the prices of fertilizer by the government, Sambou Dampha, the North Bank Region (NBR) Farmers Association has called on the minister of agriculture to engage the National Farmers Association when dealing with issues that are affecting farmers in the country, saying they know the challenges and issues facing farmers.
The National Farmers Association is the general body responsible for protecting, advocating, and promoting the welfare of farmers in the Gambia.
Speaking exclusively to The Fatu Network, Mr. Dampha accused the minister of agriculture of failing to engage the farmer’s national association to address the concerns of farmers.
“If the minister of agriculture wants to support the farmers, he should engage the farmer’s main association because they know the challenges faced by the farmers.
“But this has never happened. The agriculture minister is not engaging the association at all,” Mr Dampha said.
The NBR farmer’s association president said it will make no sense if the Ministry of Agriculture wants to support the farmers without engaging their main association.
For Dampha, engaging the National Farmers Association will pave the way to easily address the problems of farmers.
“If the ministry of agriculture should make sure the Farmers Association is represented when making decisions or plans to support the farmers.
“Sheriffo Bojang is the National Farmers Association president who should be engaged on anything that has to do with farmers welfare,” he suggested.
Reacting further to the recent fertilizer prices, Dampha added that in the Gambia the only people who need fertilizers are the poor farmers.
“The price is still expensive for the farmers. Imagine someone who cannot afford to pay D900 per bag and you are asking them to pay D1,150. Most of the farmers are poor and they depend on farming for survival,” he added.
Mr. Dampha said their wish is to have a bag of fertilizer at D700 where it was before so that many farmers will buy and get a bumper harvest.
He noted that without fertilizer farmers will not have bumper harvest.
The seasoned rural farmer emphasized that the agriculture ministry should not be responsible for sharing farming materials that are meant for the farmers, but they should be observers.
“The ministry of agriculture should not share the farming materials. They should hand over the materials to the National Farmers Association.
“If the ministry is responsible for sharing, they will make it nepotism and give the fertilizer to people who are not farmers. Those people will also share it with their families and friends and the farmers will not benefit,” he told The Fatu Network.
Mr. Dampha further mentioned that he has heard about tractors brought by the government last year for the farmers but as the farmers association President in the North Bank Region, he has not laid an eye on any tractor.
“The National Farmers Association is aware of the situation of farmers and what they need most but if they are not involved, noting will work well. The government and the Ministry of Agriculture should know that” he emphasized.
