During a break on his tour, President Adama Barrow visited a 4 km rice field in Bayaba, located in the Sami District of the Central River Region North, to observe the progress of a rice project aimed at improving food security.
The Gambia heavily relies on imported rice and other basic commodities to meet consumer demand. To change this narrative, the Barrow government is promoting private-sector engagement in rice production.
President Barrow encouraged businessmen to follow the example set by Mr. Hamidu Jah and invest in rice production. “With such projects, you contribute to food security, create jobs, and reduce dependency on foreign exchange,” the President explained.
Mr. Momodou Hydara, the Managing Director of Jah Oil Group and representative of Hamidu Jah, expressed gratitude for the government’s ongoing support. He appealed for NAWEC (National Water and Electricity Company) to invest in the area to enhance production capacity.
Investing in mechanized farming, the Jah Group has employed young people and women to support various aspects of the rice production process. After completing a pilot phase, the Jah Group has acquired more machinery and aims to expand production to three or four cycles each year. During his visit, President Barrow witnessed some of the harvesting processes and saw the final rice products packaged in bags.
With enthusiasm for private sector investment, Gambian businesses—including pioneers like Marou Farm, Jah Group, Q Group, Ahmadiya Jama’at, and GACH—along with smaller-scale farmers, are optimistic that rice imports will be significantly reduced by 2030.
Additionally, development partners are supporting the government through various projects aimed at empowering farmers and boosting the agriculture sector, ensuring that “no one should be left behind.”
At Sinchu Bayaba in the Central River Region, the President visited a groundnut farm to assess the challenges faced due to a poor harvest. Farmer Hamat Jallow shared that a dry spell lasting about one month after sowing adversely affected the harvest. He expressed gratitude to the President for taking the time to see firsthand the farmers’ concerns raised during the Meet the People’s Tour 2024.
Despite the poor groundnut harvest, President Barrow announced that the price of D38,000 per ton, maintained from the previous year, will continue for this trading season, to support farmers and encourage production.
