FOROYAA Newspaper (Serrekunda)
Abdoulie G. Dibba
6 July 2009
The National Asembly Member for Wuli West Hon. Sidia Jatta asserted that the factors responsible for the low productivity in Agriculture in this country are scientific and therefore requires scientific approach to address them.
The Wuli West Nam made these assertions at the National Assembly on Thursday while contributing to the adjournment debate.
In his contribution to the adjournment debate Sidia indicated that in their debate to approve the report of the National Assembly Select Committee on Agriculture, two remarks were made by the member for Basse and Jimara which were scientifically grounded and that he would want to add something to it.
Sidia said that the member for Basse asked the question as to why it is that some 35 to 40 years ago; we were producing more when there were no tractors and now when there are tractors? He said the member for Jimara said something about the use of tractors and how it affects the soil.
Sidia argued that with regards to productivity some 35 to 40 years ago, he opined that there are fundamental reasons why that is so. One of the reasons he said, is the rainfall pattern which he said was better in those years than it is now. Secondly, he said, at that time fertilizer was extremely cheap and the land was not as dead as it is today.
Sidia said he could remember in those years that the price of a bag of fertilizer was D50 while today; a bag of fertilizer is D650 to D700. Thirdly he said, in those years of high productivity, we were using appropriate technology and did not have the problem of mending our equipment. He pointed out that it is scientifically true that the use of tractor does affect the soil depending on the level that we go into the soil to turn it.
He argued that the deeper you go into the soil the worse, because he said when it rains, the soil becomes drained. The outspoken Wuli Nam stressed that the issue of low productivity these years has scientific reasons that requires scientific thinking in order to address it.
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