FOROYAA Newspaper (Serrekunda)
Lamin Fatty
10 June 2009
The president of the Nerica Rice Farmers Associate (NAFA) Alhagie Kibili Jaguraga has revealed that farmers in URR pledge to cultivate over 4500 hectares of the new Rice for Africa (Nerica) in 2009.
The president of the farmers association made these revelations recently in an interview with this reporter. According to him the objective of his association is to contribute towards making the Region to be food self sufficient and to complement government's efforts in the area of food security. He pointed out that in 2008 1600 hectares was put under cultivation. As a result of the success, farmers are confident that over five thousand hectares can be cultivated and the out come can be positive, with the availability of adequate seeds, fertilizer, and well as technical expertise. He urged the Government to support farmers and appealed to the Taiwanese Technical Team for support.
When contracted for his opinion and comment, the focal person for Nerica production in URR. Mr. Peter Baldeh, revealed that the special programme for food security has bought over seven tons of seeds equivalent to D280,000 from the farmers with the objective of facilitating the promise of seeds to the farmers for 2009 cropping season. He said the farmers have also informed his office that they pledged to cultivate over 4,500 hectares. This according to him will involve the farmer groups as well as individual farmers. He also revealed that Garawol has the largest area under cultivation - 250 hectares. He however said that the challenge and constraint is whether there will be availability of adequate seeds and fertilizers for all the farmers who want to go for Nerica production. He urged farmers not to be complacent, but to rely on the farmer to farmer seed sourcing and develop a culture of keeping their own seeds and help each other in technology transfer.
In an interview with at his office in Basse Mansajang Kunda, the Governor of Upper River Region Alhagie Omar Khan said that his region has been declared as the best region for Nerica production in all the regions during the 2008 cropping season. According to Governor Khan the recommendation of URR as the best region for Nerica production has come as a result of National workshop that was held at Jenoi in LRR where Nerica focal persons were evaluated and Mr. Peter Baldeh the focal person for Nerica was recommended as the best focal person in terms of production. He thanked and commended Mr. Peter Baldeh and his coordinator Mr. Matarr Njie for a job well-done and urged them to keep it up, noting that it is a challenge for them. Mr. Matarr Njie the Regional Agricultural Coordinator also expressed similar sentiments. He said he is very sure that his region will be the best region, because he knew the efforts made by farmers and his team under the leadership of Peter. He pointed out that the people of URR are hard working people and Peter is ready to sacrifice and share his experience with the farmers. He urged him to take it as a challenge as other focal reason for Nerica will be competing with him.
Speaking to this reporter Mr. Peter Baldeh the focal person for Nerica production in URR expressed happiness and satisfaction with the framers in URR particularly those dealing with Nerica whose collective efforts he said made him to be recommended as the best focal person in all the regions. He pointed out that farmers in URR have now realised the benefits of Nerica against other crops, stating that a kilo of Nerica costs D50.00 compared to other crops, and the farmers are willing to engage in the production of Nerica to the best of their ability. He pointed out that with support from government and other partners, the trend can be maintained, the trend can be maintained and the region can be self sufficient to in terms of food security. He thanked the special program for food security and the Taiwanese technical team of experts for their support, and urged them to continue complementing the efforts of the National Government in its drive for the Gambia to be food self sufficient.
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