A livestock distribution programme in the Central River Region has been hailed by officials as a step towards strengthening food security and rural livelihoods, as partners under the Programme to Strengthen Food and Nutrition Insecurity in the Sahel (P2-P2RS) rolled out a new phase of support for smallholder farmers.
At a ceremony held on Tuesday at the WALIC Centre in Bansang, 100 goats were handed over to grassroots farmers in a move authorities say could help boost production and reduce poverty.
Saine Mbye, deputy governor of the Central River Region, described the initiative as a turning point for local communities, saying the livestock would "go a long way in curbing poverty and maximize livestock production in the Gambia".
The distribution marks the second batch under the scheme, according to Ansumana Njie, project director of P2-P2RS.
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"So far, 100 has been successfully delivered to project beneficiaries and today we are here to witness another set of small ruminants that are going to be distributed," he said.
Njie stressed that the programme is focused on improving the welfare of smallholder farmers, noting that P2-P2RS has a mandate to ensure that "food and nutritional security of our smallholder farmers are catered for".
Despite the challenges involved, he described the initiative as both demanding and worthwhile, calling it "a very good resilient package".
"The activity is meant to improve the nutrition, the income and also the resilient package of our smallholder farmers," he added.
Officials say the scheme's long-term success will depend on expansion. Momar Alieu Njie, project coordinator of the Central Projects Coordination Unit (CPCU), cautioned that while the impact would be felt at household and community level, scaling up is essential.
"So what I believe we need to do as a sector is to take bold steps to expand and replicate this kind of initiative nationwide," he said.
He argued that wider implementation could help the country meet domestic demand, adding that with sufficient investment "we will be able to produce our own cheap goods for our festive occasions, but also for our religious occasions".
For the Department of Livestock Services, the initiative highlights both opportunity and challenge. Its director general, Dr Abdou Ceesay, said the programme is fundamentally about improving food systems.
"That means, again, we can feel the importance of livestock in The Gambia and anywhere else," he said.
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Ceesay pointed to persistently low production levels, particularly among certain livestock species, and emphasised the need for sustained reforms. Among the strategies under consideration, he said, is genetic improvement to maximise yields from local breeds.
Beneficiaries have welcomed the intervention. Ebrima O Jallow, president of the National Livestock Owners Association (NaLOA), described the scheme as transformative, praising partners for what he called a life-changing initiative.
Agriculture minister Demba Sabally framed the programme as part of a broader effort to build resilience in rural economies.
"The revolving, regenerative scheme is designed not only to alleviate poverty, but also to build long term resilience, strengthen livelihoods and ensure sustained income generation for farming households," he said.
He noted that early phases of the project are already showing results.
"Equally important, today we are also officially handing over one hundred goats ( 75 females and 25 males) to the Department of Livestock Services in Sololo," he said.
Sabally added that beneficiary selection had been conducted in collaboration with partners and regional authorities to ensure fairness.
"This approach ensures that the most vulnerable and deservung farmers are prioritized, thereby promoting equity and social inclusion".
