Folks, when it rains, it pours for our people.  Now, were these seeds bought
at a Romanian flea market?  Is there an end to this madness?  Now, let's see
if Jammeh's seeds wil come with such pest stories.  please read on.

Distributed Seeds Overwhelmed By Pests

The Independent (Banjul)

July 25, 2003
Posted to the web July 25, 2003

Pa Modou Secka
Banjul

Although the government may be patting itself in the back for distributing
over 1, 200 metric tons of seed nuts and fertilizers to Gambian farmers, it
has been targeted for complaints by the beneficiaries who claimed that the
nuts are infected with pests.

Speaking to The Independent, farmers in Central River Division have lamented
over the fact that the quality of the seed nuts has been questionable and
therefore it was ill advised if they were to be used.

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A farmer at Sait Maram village in Niani Kuntaur Alhagie Sallah said that
although the government's intentions in distributing the seed nuts was
positive he and other farmers cannot use them because they are overwhelmed
with pests and their agricultural experience has taught them that it was not
proper to plant them. He added that infected nuts couldn't germinate.

Sallah said that a government willing to help farmers, should give them
money, alongside very good seed nuts which are enough to produce a good
harvest for farmers. He said good fertilizers for coos and groundnut will
account for good nutrient and growth, which will help in the fertility of
farms and enhance crop yields.

This according to him will prevent farmers from engaging in credit buying in
the year. He said, providing seed nuts should be done in a specific time or
duration in the season.

In his contribution, Elliman Ceesay from Mamut Fana, Central River Division
also claimed that the seeds are not fit to be planted since they are with
pests. He said although the government has done tremendously well in
providing them with seeds, it was unfortunate that they could not be used.

Morr Gaye said farmers are the backbone of the country and urged the
government to help efforts by them to give an agricultural orientation to
the country's economy, which had hitherto depended on agriculture as its
mainstay.

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