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Gambia: Women Gardeners Express Frustration Over Salt Intrusion
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FOROYAA Newspaper (Serrekunda)
28 February 2008
Posted to the web 28 February 2008
Isatou Bittaye
The Women gardeners at the Old Jeshwang gardens have decried the intrusion of salt water from the sea into their gardens. The women made this statement in an interview with this reporter on Monday at their vegetable gardens.
Speaking to this reporter, Ma Sirreh Bojang said the perennial intrusion of salt water from the sea has impacted negatively on their vegetable plants, noting that this often kills their crops. She said their gardens are full of salt water and that is why they often have difficulty planting vegetables in the area .She said they often wait for the salt water to dry before they plant vegetables in the area , noting that the soil which is often polluted by the salt water, sometimes devastates their plants.. She added that they are grappling with the high cost of manure and fertilizer.
Also speaking, Fatou Sarr said pests sometimes destroy their crops, noting that if they fail to apply insecticide on the crops , the insects often feed on them (the plants ) .She lamented the high cost of insecticide, noting that a container costs D100. She said the salt water from the sea is affecting their vegetables; that anything they grow will not survive as a result of the salt. Fatou added that they are also faced with the problem of fencing their gardens as they do not have money to fence the gardens; instead they use sticks to fence their gardens. She said if they failed to use sticks to fence their gardens, stray animals would enter the gardens and feed on their vegetables. Boto Bojang said they buy seeds from G.H.C. Garden Center, noting that the cost of seed is expensive. She said they sell their produce at the Serrekunda Market. Boto noted that they have never received support from any philanthropist. She said they are appealing for support in order to fence their garden and buy insecticides for their crops. She added that they also need urgent help to combat the intrusion of salt water into their gardens. She said if this is not done on time, they will not be able to cultivate anything in their gardens in the future.
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