The Chinese government has donated agricultural machinery, equipment and fertiliser to Gambia’s farming community, the minister of agriculture, Ms. Amie Fabureh, announced here on Sunday.
She said since the restoration of relations with China, The Gambia has been experiencing cooperation in various sectors, especially in agriculture.
The items donated by the Chinese government includes 10 metric tons of fertiliser, 30 sets of walking tractors, 30 sets of small rice threshers, 29 sets of rice mill, 25 sets of pumps, 1 set of steering-wheel tractor, 2 sets of diesel engine and corresponding spare-parts, maintenance tools and other materials.
She said: “The official handing over of this magnificent agricultural equipment/machinery and their state-of-the-earth accessories and fertilisers marks another milestone towards the realisation of the development of Rice and Horticulture sub sectors value-chain prioritised as flagship projects in Gambia’s National Development Plan.”
Ms Fabureh said the equipment and fertiliser are crucial ingredient to Gambia’s economic growth, given that agriculture employs over 70 percent of the population and more than half of them are women farmers, the core rice and vegetable producers.
On behalf of President Adama Barrow, Ms Fabureh commended the Chinese Ambassador to The Gambia, Ma Jianchun, for facilitating the delivery of the agricultural equipment and extended Gambia’s appreciation the Chinese President, Xi Jinping.
Ambassador Ma described the handing over ceremony as an important milestone of cooperation in a bid to protect Gambia’s food security and to also support efforts of Gambia’s agricultural production and development.
Ma expressed optimism that under the leadership of President Adama Barrow and with efforts by the Government and the People of The Gambia, there would be victory in combating the novel coronavirus.
He disclosed that the donation is part of cooperation in the area of agriculture between the two countries, recounting the numerous agricultural achievements registered by the Chinese agricultural experts in the Central River Region of The Gambia.
He added: “The Chinese agricultural experts have reclaimed 7 acres of rice farms to conduct the research for strengthening Gambian rice varieties, and the experiments on adapting high-production hybrid Chinese rice varieties to local natural environment.”
