By Haruna Kuyateh
The North Bank Regional Marketing Federation has commended the ROOTS Project for supporting the construction of a cold storage facility at Ndungu Kebbeh in North Bank Region.
The federation commonly known as SOLICITA provided the cold storage with the aim of reducing post-harvest losses and improving vegetable farmers’ incomes.
The commendation followed President Adama Barrow’s visit to the facility during his ongoing Meet-the-People-Tour, highlighting efforts to strengthen agricultural production, preservation and marketing in the region.
Fatou Jagne, President of SOLICITA told The Voice during an interview that the facility would provide vegetable growers with improved storage opportunities, help maintain product quality and reduce losses associated with the rapid deterioration of fresh produce.
She praised the government for supporting the initiative, noting that the cold store would enable farmers to preserve their vegetables for sale on weekly market days, locally known as lumoo.
Ms. Jagne said the federation’s financial contribution demonstrated its commitment to improving the welfare of gardeners and helping them secure better prices for their produce.
She urged farmers to increase vegetable production and make full use of the facility, assuring them of the federation’s commitment to expanding market opportunities for growers.
Haddy Joof, Secretary of the SOLICITA Federation said the partnership with the ROOTS project would not only promote vegetable production but also add value to highly perishable agricultural products and increase farmers’ incomes.
She disclosed that the federation had committed 1.6 million dalasis towards the facility, of which D1.35 million had been paid, leaving a balance of D250,000 expected to be settled next month.
Meanwhile, in another development, the International Trade Centre (ITC) and ROOTS Project have concluded a business-to-business (B2B) forum in Farafenni, North Bank Region, aimed at strengthening market access, improving access to finance and promoting trade among local producers, processors and businesses.
The event, held at the Farafenni Youth Centre in Upper Badibou, brought together farmers, processors, exporters, buyers, investors, women and youth entrepreneurs, as well as representatives of government institutions and the tourism sector.
The initiative seeks to connect local agricultural producers with hotels, restaurants, supermarkets and other buyers to improve the marketing of locally produced goods and create business opportunities.
The ITC is partnering with the ROOTS project under the European Union Youth Empowerment Project on Tourism and Creative Industries, a five-year initiative launched in February 2025 to promote competitiveness, sustainability and job creation among women and young entrepreneurs.
Addressing the forum, North Bank Region Governor Lamin Saidykhan commended the ITC and the ROOTS project for bringing businesses, producers, buyers, investors and public institutions together on a common platform.
He said the forum provided an opportunity to transform ideas into partnerships, partnerships into contracts, and contracts into production, employment, income and sustainable economic growth.
The governor noted that the region had considerable agricultural potential, a hardworking population, enterprising women and young people, as well as livestock and fisheries resources.
He urged farmers and entrepreneurs to strengthen their participation in agricultural value chains, agro-processing, regional trade and investment.
“We must produce more, process, add value locally and sell competitively to larger markets, generate employment and build resilient local economies,” he said.
Mr. Saidykhan called for a shift from subsistence-oriented agriculture towards agribusiness, stressing that increased production must be supported by adequate storage, transportation, packaging, market information and reliable buyers.
Demba Sanyang, ROOTS project regional coordinator for the North Bank Region, said the partnership with the ITC sought to bridge the gap between producers, processors, transporters and buyers in the hospitality industry.
He said the initiative would strengthen the marketing of local produce, encourage increased production and promote value addition to agricultural products.
Mr. Sanyang added that the B2B engagement would empower smallholder farmers by improving their production capacity and productivity.
Other speakers included Fatou Mbenga of ITC, Karamo Minteh, North Bank Region regional agricultural director and Demba Sowe of Gambia Tourism Authority.