Today the National Coordinating Organization for Farmers Associations the Gambia NACOFAG in partnership with the Network of Farmers Organizations in West Africa ROPPA supported by the PARFAO Project today airlifted six delegates to Ouagadougou Burkina Faso including 4 farmers the President of the Jahaly and Pacharr Rice Farmers Cooperative Association Mr. Haruna Gassama of Brikamaba, Mrs. Isatou Njie of NAWFA Rice Farmers Cooperative Association from Guntur Wassu, Amadou Mbakeh of NaYAFS youth Cooperative Association Basse URR branch, Mrs. Bintou Suwaneh of the West Coast Region Food Processors and a member of the Fish Smokers Association of Tanjie, Mrs. Maladou M. Jallow business expert and desk officer of the ROOTS Project 4Ps Platform from the Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry GCCI and Fatou Samba Njie Acting President of the NACOFAG Women College led the delegation to attend a Regional Forum on WOMEN, ECONOMY, and RESILIENCE program.
According to Alieu Sowe the National Coordinator of NACOFAG, the outcome of the event was a result of the support provided by the FO4ACP, SAFE, and PARFAO which during the past years supported the 4 Cooperative Associations of NACOFAG through capacity building, provision of equipment and connections for business development and markets both Nationally and Internationally.
“The main objective of the event is to promote mutual learning among women and youth involved in Cooperative activities towards Economy and Resilience building for an increase in value additions and marketing. To showcase Gambian Farmers and Food Processors’ products the following products were taken to the event for marketing and demonstration: cereal products, wild fruit trees, baobab, groundnuts, vegetable, fish products, locally produced rice, honey, moringa products among others. The Gambian delegates will converge with 13 other West African Network of Farmers Organizations from 13 Countries. The event will officially be Commerce from the 24th to the 27th of July 2023. Thanks to partners for the timely support to uplift the livelihood of the small-scale farmers and fishers.”