The Daily Observer (Banjul)
Amadou Jallow
14 September 2009
Banjul — The current status of the president's farms in Kanilai and other villages within the Fonis, have indicated that there will be bumper harvest from the different varieties of crops cultivated.
This is due to the fact that just some few months after some crops like groundnuts and coos were grown, they have thrived faster, all looking green which gave one the inspiration to anticipate a bumper harvest. However, the transplanting of rice in Kanilai still continues and is expected to go until October. This has indicated that Gambians are now responding positively to President Jammeh's back-to-the-land call, and slogan of 'grow what we eat and eat what we grow'. This is obviously an achievement on the side of the president. Over the weekend, our reporter visited the farms to assess the level of progress.
Nyaffi Ranch farm
A farm located in the northern part of Kanilai is cultivated with a vast hectare of maize and rice. This farm is one of the president's biggest, with the maize, to be harvested in few months. According to Captain Seedy Baldeh, manager of Kanilai farms, this year they have got a perfect timing for transplanting and weeding of rice. At Nyaffi Ranch, while some rice (mainly Narica) has virtually reached harvesting stage, the transplanting of more rice still continues.
Kanilai bridge rice field
In this farm, Nerica and local rice are the main crop varieties being planted there due to the fact that the place is a waterlogged area that is good for the growing of rice. While some rice is about to reach harvesting stage, women from Kanilai and the environments were met on a weeding exercise and on the final application of fertilizer on the last transplanted rice.
Bunubore farm
The only farm where mix cropping is predominant, Bunubore farm is planted with more than three varieties of crops, mainly coos, sorghum, rice, maize and even beans. In this farm, early coos is grown which will also be harvested soon.
Allakunda farm
Beans and groundnuts are the main crops being farmed here and a new variety of crop called new Moroccan, according to Captain Seedy Baldeh, Kanilai farms manager. According to him, this is the first time the new crop variety is grown in the country and is on experimentation.
Giramba rice field
The only activity currently on this farm is the transplanting of rice. Predominantly a waterlogged area, the farm is said to have over the years, been producing abundant rice, so the expectation of the people is higher this year.
In an exclusive interview with Captain Baldeh at this farm, he explained that the transplanting is expected to continue until October. This year's farming, Baldeh hoped, will be a successful one and an expected greater harvest than the previous years. According to him, Kanilai Farms do not only cultivate but they also do experimentation of crops, which he said, is quite important in farming.
Captain Baldeh used the opportunity to thank all the volunteers who had come to help weed the president's farms. Babucarr Mendy also at Kanilai Farms said, due to the month of Ramadan, the level of volunteers to the farms has dropped. However, he expressed high hopes that this year's farming will be history as they are anticipating bumper harvests in all the presidents' farms.
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