Experts drawn from the Ministry of Agriculture and the Department of Water Resources recently converged at the Paradise Suites Hotel in Kololi to validate the proposed Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Action (NAMA) document for the nation's agriculture sector.

The NAMA document entitled, "Mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and concentration in the atmosphere through the promotion of an integraion of crop and livestock systems in The Gambia," would lead to a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to sustainable development in the country.

Agricultural experts believe that the successful implementation of this document would ensure the availability of the capacity, technology and financial support identified and requested in the document. The document in itself contained 10 mitigation actions with only four being proposed from the agriculture sector.

Speaking at the closing occasion, the minster of Forestry and the Environment, Fatou Ndey-Gaye, described the development of this important project for the nation's agricultural sector as timely and appreciated. If funded and implemented, she noted, it would support the farming communities of the Central River and Upper River Regions respectively to address issues related to reduction of the emission of greenhouse gases from crop production, animal husbandry and horticultural activities.

"The project will also enhance sustainable development in the two administrative regions and produce development spill-over at the national level. It is hoped that food and nutrition security will be partly [addressed] in these regions," she explained.

"The project document," she further indicated, "is in an excellent state ready for uploading into the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) registry of Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions in the name of The Gambia."

The minister used the opportunity to appeal to the bilateral and multilateral development partners, particularly developed country parties to the UNFCCC to pick up the project and provide financial, technological and capacity building support for its implementation.

The African Development Bank's (AfDB) NAMA consultant, Nogoye Thiam, for his part, underscored that the purpose of the project is to help government develop a full NAMA for the agriculture sector. She explained that the validation followed a two-day intensive session where the document was fully developed.

Thiam also expressed optimism that the document would enhance sustainable management of forest and make sustained efforts to fight against climate change. She applauded participants for their full participation and commitment to the successful development of the document, and equally thanked the government for the sustained efforts towards the drafting of the document.