Farmer to Farmer exchange programme
ActionAid The Gambia recently took part in the Farmer to Farmer exchange programme in
Kaolack,
Senegal. The exchange programme is a follow-up of the recommendations |
of the Territorial Development
Initiative (TDI) held in The Gambia in May 2008.
The objectives of the farmer to farmer exchange programme are:
·
To provide capacity for family farmers organizations in order to strengthen solidarity amongst themselves and to cope with organizational and productive issues.
·
Expose farmers’ organizations from The Gambia and
Senegal on TDI and its utility for strengthening organizational capacity and ability to enhance their production.
· Assess the last plan of action and chart the way forward.
Farmers in The Gambia face many challenges related to groundnut production. The chief among these are of low quality seeds, low soil fertility which result in low production and productivity.
Gambian farmers also experience marketing problems (credit buying). Cadre de Concertation des Producteurs d’Arachide (CCPA) is a network of professional farmers for groundnut production and marketing in
Senegal. In a programme co-funded by ActionAid
Senegal, they buy improved seeds from the Institut Sénégalaise de Recherches Agricoles (ISRA), receive training and fertilizers from Government. Under the programme, farmers do seed multiplication (N1) and produce good quality groundnuts for consumption (N2). The programme has registered an increase of between 30 to 40% in their production. CCPA is becoming well organized and a strong actor in advocacy with government for fixing prices and influencing policies regarding the groundnut sub sector in
Senegal.
32 farmers from The Gambia and
Senegal comprising both women and men, CCPA staff and partners, ActionAid staff from The Gambia,
Senegal and the regional office attended the programme.