The Daily Observer (Banjul)
Alhagie Babou Jallow
27 October 2009
column
The Imam of Njaba Kunda village in the Central Baddibou District of the North Bank Region, Alhaji Seedy Mutarr Jaiteh, has commended the president of the Republic, His Excellency Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh, for bringing to their doorsteps, the Gambia Rice Project aimed at promoting short and high yield varieties of Nerica rice seeds in the country.
Imam Jaiteh was speaking to the Daily Observer?s North Bank reporter in Njaba kunda recently, during the harvesting of 3.5 hectares of Nerica rice field. According to the Imam, the attainment of food security reqiures concerted efforts by all and sundry, and in particular, support to the president?s back-to-the-land call, geared towards the attainment of food self-sufficiency and poverty reduction. He hailed The Gambia Rice Project for providing 210kgs of Nerica seedlings and 9.5 bags of fertilizer. Imam Jaiteh expressed optimism of having a bumper harvest in the NBR..
The Imam then called on all to play proactive role in complementing government?s efforts in the attainment food security and accelerating the socio economic advancement of families in the country. He thanked the women of Njaba kunda, Noo kunda, Minteh kunda and Marong kunda for their active participation during the cultivation and harvesting of the rice fields.
Islam, he said, emphasizes the need for people to work and earn decent living. Imam Jaiteh used the opportunity to call on development partners to assist them with good roads to the rice fields, as this would contribute greatly to boost ing food production. He appealed to the government and private sector to assist in the construction of contour bounds on the upland rice fields to address erosion among others in the rice fields. The Imam assured of their readiness to expand in rice production but expressed concern over inadequate farm implements, essential in the support of food production.
He further thanked President Jammeh for supporting Islam and providing Ramadan gifts to Muslims across the country.
Speaking on behalf of regional agricultural director in Kerewan, Sana Sighateh, agricultural officer of Njaba kunda District Extension Centre, thanked the president and Taiwanese government for the valuable initiative of designing The Gambia Rice Project, which is meant to contribute to the attainment of food security and making and in particular, rice available in rural households throughout the year. He applauded the community of Njaba kunda and Marong kunda for their massive involvement and participation in the promotion of Nerica through the support from Gambia Rice Project.
Singateh disclosed that the project distributed a total fertilizer of NPK - 11700kgs and Urea - 5850kgs and 7020kgs Nerica seeds to the community of Njaba kunda and Marong kunda. This he said aimed at empowering farmers to grow more Nerica rice and have the ability of providing their own seeds in the coming years, as well as to help others to have easy access to high yield varieties. Alhaji Dibba Jaiteh expressed similar sentiments.
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