Nema resolves Kudang rice field road problems

The National Agricultural Land and Water Management Development Project’s construction of access road to rice fields in Kudang, Central River Region South has addressed their access problems, but the expectation is not yet met by the villagers due to an unknown source of flooding.

“Now things are easier. Cars and donkey carts are going and coming without any delay. No matter how long the rice filed is, there are access roads everywhere. We even have a roundabout in the rice fields,” said Mr. Lamin Ceesay, Chairman of the Village Development Committee of Kudang

He said this has benefited them a lot especially women who suffer the most. He said today, everything is easier for them and they can transport their harvest without any delay.

“This is another development that the village has benefited from Nema” Ceesay told Mansa Banko Blog in an interview in Kudang village.

BRIDGES MADE DIFFERENCE IN LIVES OF WOMEN FARMERS

The aim of every intervention by the National Agricultural Land and Water Management Development Project (Nema) is to reduce poverty of rural women and youth and increased incomes for the beneficiaries.

This is exactly what Nema is doing for the people of Jarumeh Koto Village, in the Central River Region North.

The Nema project is actually an up scaling of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) previous projects, particularly the Participatory Integrated Watershed Management Project (PIWAMP). 

Under the Nema project, substantial funds has been raised to co-finance the project in the country, of which IFAD contributed US$40 million, and in addition to that also, there has been a parallel co-financing agreement with the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) at a tune of US$50 million. Added to the above figures, there is a parallel financial agreement with the IsDB that is supporting the Building Resilience against Food Insecurity in the Sahel (P2RS) project at a tune of US$20.8 million. The total portfolio of the project is US$76 million.

“The coming of this tidal irrigation and especially the construction of the bridge has transformed our lives for good,” Aja Nyima Sillah, leader of Nematulie Kafo, in Jarumeh Koto Village, told Mansa Banko Blog during an interview in Jarumeh Koto village.

Food insecurity and poverty, a major challenge to meeting SDGs target 2.1 in sub-Saharan Africa

With millions suffering from severe food insecurity in the region

Bukar Tijani, FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Africa.

23 February 2017, Freetown - The second edition of the Regional Overview of Food Insecurity in sub-Saharan Africa (2016) reveals that some 153 million people, representing about 26 percent of the population above 15 years of age in sub-Saharan Africa, suffered from severe food insecurity in 2014/15.

“What it means is that, around one out of four individuals above 15 years of age in sub-Saharan Africa was hungry  but did not eat or went without eating for a whole day for lack of money or other resources for food”, remarked Bukar Tijani, FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Africa.

“This assessment underlines the significance of the challenge facing the region in meeting SDGs’ target 2.1 and the relevance of sustainable and substantial support to food security and nutrition policies and programmes in the region”, he added.

On the aggregate level, sub-Saharan Africa achieved adequate food availability over the 2014–2016 period, with a Dietary Energy Supply (DES) of 110. However, several countries in the region remain highly dependent on food imports to ensure adequate food supplies, with some sub-regions depending on imports for up to a third of their cereal needs.

Gambia's Honorary Consul in Egypt Congratulates President Barrow

His Excellency, Hatem Raslan, first Honorary Consul of the Gambia in Egypt has extended his sincere congratulations and best wishes to the President of the Republic of The Gambia,  Mr. Adama Barrow.

Read full text:

Your Excellency Sir,

On behalf of Raslan Group in the Gambia and in my own behalf as the Chief Executive of the group for Africa and the First Honorary Consul of the Gambia in Egypt to extend my sincere congratulation and best wishes to your Excellency, following your landslide victory in the December 1^st 2016 Presidential Elections which has been described as the most transparent, free, fair and credible election by local and international election observers.  Your Excellency, the Gambian people have spoken, and your victory is a clear testimony of their trust and confidence that all patriotic Gambians must acknowledge and accept in good faith because the voice of the people is the voice of Allah SubhaanahWatallah. 

Your Excellency, the peaceful and democratic elections, which is the foundation of your Presidency, has been received with enthusiasm and hope for political and economic partnership by the international Community including Raslan Group. As the First Honorary Consul of the Gambia in Egypt, it is my pledge and desire to contribute my quota to the expansion and consolidation of meaningful international cooperation for the benefit of the Gambia and the Gambian people. In addition, I will seize this opportunity to assure Your Excellency of my continued support and collaboration in all your endeavors as Head of State.