By Binta Jaiteh
Sixty agricultural extension workers have completed a one-month training program on vegetable cultivation aimed at boosting productivity in the agricultural sector.
The training was held at the Jambanjelly Mixed Farming Centre under the China-Aid Agricultural Technology Cooperation Project.
Speaking at the closing ceremony on Thursday, Chinese Ambassador to The Gambia, Liu Jin, congratulated the participants for their commitment and dedication.
He said that for more than 70 years, China’s foreign aid in human resources development has trained over 500,000 professionals from more than 180 countries and regions, describing it as a demonstration of China’s long-standing support to developing countries.
Ambassador Liu added that the China-Gambia Agricultural Technical Cooperation Project has successfully completed its second phase and is preparing to launch a third phase.
“Over the years, Chinese expert teams have worked on the ground in The Gambia, focusing on rice, vegetables, maize and other key areas, carrying out demonstrations and technical guidance to enhance farmers’ production capacity and technical skills,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of the participants, Bintou Ann thanked the organisers for the initiative, noting that the training exposed them to principles, techniques and innovations in controlled environment agriculture that promote productivity and sustainability.
She also expressed appreciation to the Ministry of Agriculture for its guidance and continued support towards farmer empowerment.
The Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture, Alagie Nyangado, urged the trainees to share the knowledge gained during the month-long programme with fellow farmers and extension workers.
He commended the Chinese Embassy for supporting Gambians to benefit from training opportunities in China, describing it as a reflection of the strong bilateral relations between the two countries.
Meanwhile, Chen, Manager of Longping High-Tech International Training Centre, said the training would enable participants to master modern crop cultivation techniques.
“This achievement demonstrates technology sharing and win-win agricultural development between China and The Gambia,” he said.
He explained that the programme covered the full vegetable industry value chain, including greenhouse construction, seed breeding and production, high-yield cultivation, and integrated water and fertilizer management.
Chen assured of continued cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture to establish technology demonstration sites and promote the cultivation of other crop varieties.
