The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Security in Gambia has distributed 12 tractors to beneficiary farmers at the Agricultural Soil Campus in Yundum. This is part of the government's ongoing agricultural mechanisation programme aimed at boosting food production and modernising farming operations. The programme intends to improve agricultural productivity by increasing farmers' access to modern farming machinery.
The Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Demba Sabally, stated that the latest batch of tractors follows the earlier distribution of 25 tractors to farmers across the country. He explained that the programme operates under a cost-sharing arrangement, with the government and beneficiary farmers each contributing 25 per cent of the initial payment. The remaining 50 per cent is to be paid through monthly instalments over a four-year period.
Dr. Sabally urged the beneficiaries to take proper care of the tractors, honour their repayment commitments, and seek support from the Agricultural Engineering Unit whenever technical assistance or maintenance services are required. He also expressed appreciation to President Adama Barrow for supporting the initiative and commended Yonna for supplying the tractors.
The National Coordinating Committee for Farmers' Organisations in Gambia (NACOFAG) President, Musa F. Sowe, noted that the equipment would help farmers increase production, reduce operational costs, and expand the acreage under cultivation. He stressed that the tractors were not being distributed free of charge but through a cost-sharing mechanism designed to encourage ownership and accountability among beneficiaries.
Sowe highlighted the critical role agriculture plays in the national economy, noting that challenges facing the sector often have wider economic implications. The Regional Agricultural Director for the West Coast Region, Bakary Gassama, stated that the ministry had adjusted its strategy following difficulties encountered under a previous tractor distribution programme launched in 2020.
Some beneficiaries under the earlier scheme failed to meet their repayment obligations, prompting the introduction of the current model, which requires farmers to make direct financial contributions towards the machinery. Alagie Ousmane Jobe, speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, thanked the government for the support, noting that many farmers would have found it difficult to purchase tractors independently.
The tractor distribution forms part of the government's broader efforts to modernise agriculture, increase productivity, and strengthen national food security. The beneficiaries have pledged to use the equipment responsibly and fulfil their repayment obligations. The programme aims to enhance agricultural production, support efforts to increase exports, and improve farmers' livelihoods.
Key points
- The Gambia government has distributed 37 tractors to farmers so far under its mechanisation programme.
- The programme operates under a cost-sharing arrangement between the government and beneficiary farmers.
- The initiative aims to boost food production, modernise farming operations, and strengthen national food security.
