The Daily Observer (Banjul)
9 July 2009
editorial
Agriculture is key to sustaining any national economy. It is the perfect channel to food security and food self-sufficiency. Whilst it is strategic for a national economy to diversify, it is equally significant for it to put more weight on the agricultural sector. It is the foundation upon which all other developments are built.
It happens that a major goal of the July 22nd revolution is to transform this country into a food self-sufficient nation. This is because the revolutionary leadership has realized that development cannot be achieved if we continue to depend on outsiders to feed ourselves. President Jammeh's strong determination to putting our food self sufficiency drive into its proper context cannot be overemphasized. The back to the land initiative is speaking for itself. What is more important is that the people, with the help of the national policies, are willing to return to farming in order to feed not only the family but the nation at large.
One significant step that the authorities can take to facilitate a booming agricultural sector is the construction of good feeder roads linking the main production areas to the markets in the urban centres. With good roads in place, farmers will be motivated to plunge into large scale farming. This is because market accessibility makes things easier for them. The more people we have on the field, the greater the productivity.
The step taken by President Jammeh to embark on massive road and bridge constructions linking towns and villages is meant to facilitate that needed motivation and ease in linking production centers and the markets. It also strengthens the Back to the Land call. For instance, bridging the Sunkulay Kunda River will facilitate the smooth and timely movement of people and goods, particularly for farming sections. Therefore, the fact that the foundation stone for bridge has been laid shows our seriousness as a country with regards to development for economic progress.
The Rural Electrification Project on the other hand will restore the eroding interest, and overturn the general ill will against agri-business and rural investment in general. Agriculture cannot go forward without the appropriate amenities such as a proper flow of electricity. A viable large scale agricultural venture expedites the development process by ensuring not only food self-sufficiency but also raising the income level of the people and earning the country growth in its GDP, GNP and foreign exchange reserves through international trade. It is, therefore, apparent that there should be attitudinal change on the part of the citizenry in their response to the Back to the Land call.
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