Mike,
An interesting reading.Keep on the good work down there.
For Freedom
Saiks
>===== Original Message From The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
<[log in to unmask]> =====
>Saiks, you have rightly dealt with the fundamentals, development is a
>multi-faceted ,multi-dimensional subject however, despite the range the
>essence of development cannot change, for development to be meaningful it
>has to be geared to to the people. Development must be people oriented as
>well as people centred. If development is measured against any otjher
>criteria it would derail it's essence and many a time people have committed
>this error of interpretation, instead of people centre they try to establish
>other objectives that would reflect other realities and this is and has been
>the case fror many African countries. In other to measure development an
>objective criteria must be established and against such a criteria one can
>gauge how far the objectives hasw been realised. It is a truism to assert
>that humanbeings have certain basic necessities to meet for survival;
>first are the SHELTER, FOOD, CLOTHING, EDUCATION, SANITATION AND CLEAN
>WATER. iIf these needs are adequately satisfied to the chagrin of the people
>one can say that there is development notwithstanding the modern needs, such
>as electricity etc. To be able to fulfil such needs it is obvious that
>science and technology will have to play a pivotal role a role that is
>indespesable in this day and age. Science and technology has evolved in a
>way that we must embrace it to satisfy our moderrn day needs, science as you
>rightly said is a friend and not and enemy, there are lots of
>accomplishments we can reach with the enhancement and application of science
>and technology. Without embracing and applying technology we will find it
>extremely difficfult to fulfil our developmental needs,hence the notion that
>technology and science are alien is a complete misnomer perpetuated by some
>African romantics. The back breaking conditions of work our gerneratio has
>inherited must be consigned to history, we must endeavour to embrace and
>encourage technological application, without such we will not be able to
>eradicate the backwardness that is characteristic iof our ways of life. It
>is rather sad to see that we still use hoes hoes to do farming such archaic
>tools most be consigned to the museums and we use technologically more
>efficient and advance forms of tools. Technology does not have to be
>complicated, sometimes through inovations we can modify it and use it to
>serve our circumstances, hence the notion that they are western concepts
>most be refuted and challenged, for their is nothing much miore dangerous
>that to alienate us from scvientific advancement. I hope the government
>instead of constatntly attacking the youths will endeavour to make farming
>more techno0logically accdepted so that instead of producing sdo littyle
>with millions of hours of work they will realise a lot with minimum effort.
>Through increased production in agriculture and industrialisation ur4ban
>youth idling will be substantially reduced. The way forward is therefore to
>mechanise agriculture and link suh mechanisation with industrialisation. I
>know a lot has been said by academics but little has been realised in
>ptractical terms and unless we mechanise and expand our productive caqpacity
>we will never be able to meet our rfood and many other needs.
>
>Complementing your assertions Saiks I hope someone is heeding somewhere.
>
>>From: saikss <[log in to unmask]>
>>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
>><[log in to unmask]>
>>To: [log in to unmask]
>>Subject: Re: Something for the weekend.
>>Date: Thu, 6 Jun 2002 21:11:13 +0200
>>
>>"……His reference to President Jammeh's call for our youths to return to the
>>land is also quite appropriate here.
>> This is so because when Jammeh tells us to return to the land he is not
>>referring to those who are already
>> there. He is referring basically to those without the skills or
>>education to
>>compete for the limited jobs in the
>> GBA but who, nontheless, would rather be roaming about our streets and
>>doing
>>nothing gainful."
>>
>>Jungle,
>>
>>Our attitude to what development is, in my opinion, is what is sometimes
>>difficult to understand. The decadency in our towns is not because there
>>are
>>farmland lying barren just waiting for youths to plug their heads into
>>tractors and change their status from been pest "roaming about our streets
>>and
>>doing nothing gainfull" to become professional farmers.
>>What is real and the truth is that we have a government that prefers taking
>>loan to build a four lane highway in the middle of the biggest town in our
>>country whiles our farmer continue to struggle with a back breaking hoe in
>>a
>>futile attempt to feed a nation rapidly growing and promote economic
>>development. It is not poor "uneducated" farmers who are thinking this way,
>>it
>>is the Dr, and half educated and well educated people who are doing such
>>thinking.
>>Going by the geography of rice production in our country, you will find out
>>that even at the surroundings of Gambia high school, as late as the 70s
>>urban
>>dwellers were growing rice there.
>>The call for a return back to the land is a call for political
>>consumption,I
>>will come to that. This call even if sincere, is not seriously taking note
>>to
>>the need of our nation. The call is geared towards the urban youths and my
>>argument is that, we don't need more farmers, better the condition
>>(Socaily,
>>economically and technically) of the farmers we have and our food problem
>>will
>>be solved. It is as simple as this and anything else is political
>>propaganda.
>>
>>Why because, unemployment has not been reduced in the urban areas, since
>>this
>>government came to power, it has been increasing, there is the Rural /urban
>>migration rapidly taking palce, because farming have become more and more
>>impossible to live by, not even a decent two meal a day is easy. We read
>>this
>>every now and then in Gambian newspapers. The state has not been able to
>>create jobs and her policy, on for example, the groundnut-growing sector,
>>is
>>creating more uneploytment. Instead of using her energy to address this
>>serious situation, the state behaves as if the problem is that urban youths
>>don't want to work but there is work to do. The same sentiments you
>>expressed
>>at the end of your above quoted statement.
>>
>>".. At least such people would be able to make our
>> farmers better understand how certain farming practices may be more
>>appropriate than others. They would
>> also be in a better position to use fertilizers more appropriately as
>>well
>>as a more effective use of manure and
>> compost. This line of thought is supported by Dr. Edgar, when he wrote:"
>>
>>If you, President Jammeh and the Dr believed that what is needed here are
>>technical experts to guide our farmers in the technicalities of farming,
>>why
>>make it a political jargon when all you need is to build educational
>>training
>>facilities and more emphasis on agriculture in the educational curriculum
>>at
>>all level, all of which are at the disposal of president Jammeh.But if you,
>>the Dr and President believed that an educated farmer is more productive
>>than
>>the uneducated then this will mark the first failure on the way for a more
>>productive farming for sufficient food production.And jungle,you and the DR
>>should by now understand that there are very few farmers in this world who
>>care less about a college certificate and this did not make them poor
>>farmers.
>>You don't need any formal education to become a good farmer. The problem is
>>not even that our farmers are uneducated (illiterates) thus are poor
>>farmers
>>and not able to produce enough food, the problem is that the majority of
>>our
>>farmers are still using a back breaking hoe and getting paid.
>>Simple thinking, what is the on going programme for the majority of the
>>Gambian population who are the "uneducated" farmers? Will those are not
>>paid
>>get their monies? what will happen to them if the most productive sector in
>>farming is controlled by the "educated" youths? Another important thing
>>that
>>you and the Dr are not informing us about China, is that farming in some
>>areas
>>is of high technical quality, Chine is producing and selling rice but there
>>are Chinese who are very hungry because they are poor. Your"line of
>>thought"
>>might very well succeed in marking Gambia a high quality rice producing
>>nation
>>whiles Gambians go hungry. Just like the other story we read in the
>>Independent newspaper, that people were complaining for not been able to
>>buy
>>fish because it is not available in the market, and Gambia is one of the
>>few
>>remaining big fishing nations.
>>
>>For freedom
>>saiks
>>
>>
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>>
>> >===== Original Message From The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
>><[log in to unmask]> =====
>> >As a small contribution, I wish to point out that "self-sufficiency" in
>>food
>>may not always be a realistic goal given the ever changing conditions for
>>agricultural production and of world economy. What may be more realistic to
>>aim at is food security. If we can't produce it ourselves we should be
>>economically strong enough to purahse it.
>> > ----- Original Message -----
>> > From: Jungle Sunrise
>> > To: [log in to unmask]
>> > Sent: 02 June, 2002 3:53 PM
>> > Subject: Re: Something for the weekend.
>> >
>> >
>> > Saiks wrote:
>> >
>> > "Why is it that more than half of our population are involved in
>>agriculrural production and still hungry,whiles in America and Europe a
>>very
>>few percent of their population are involved in food production and have
>>enough food for themselves and the left overs for us(Food Aid) ?The truth
>>is
>>that, agricultural production is very backward in our country and not
>>industrilised,been at the stage it is,there will be no enough labour power
>>to
>>produce enough food for ourselves".
>> >
>> > Saiks, Dr. Edgar answered your querries when he wrote:
>> >
>> > "Given the necessary investment and programs, The Gambia should be
>>self-sufficient in rice production in 5 to 10 years."
>> >
>> > The above statement gives hope to the average Gambian who relies on the
>>daily intake of rice for survival and a challenge for government to provide
>>"the necessary investment and programs".
>> >
>> > He then talks of the need for diversification when he wrote:
>> >
>> > "Of course, the potentials for agricultural production are not limited
>>to
>>rice production only. There are vegetable crops, fruit production and
>>aquaculture".
>> >
>> > He also acknowledged the daunting task that the average farmer has to
>>overcome when he wrote:
>> >
>> > "However agricultural production is not cheap and easy either. Initial
>>investments and technical know-how are essential; social and cultural
>>changes
>>are necessary for its success. Expensive or difficult, there is no
>>alternative
>>to a healthy development (note: more than economic development) other than
>>agricultural development initially.
>> >
>> > He then posits that:
>> >
>> > "Only through the surplus from the agricultural sectors, the
>>small-medium
>>business and industrial sectors can take off".
>> >
>> > [All emphsis mine]
>> >
>> > Do you not agree with the above statement?
>> >
>> > If you agree with the above statement and the ones before it, then I do
>>not
>>see why you ask the following questions:
>> > "Who told him we have shortage of agricultural labour force in our
>>country,the crude nature of agricproduction is not only a health
>>hazard(back
>>breaking,early old age) for the majority of our population but a
>>contributing
>>factor to the destruction of the eco-system in our country,just think of
>>all
>>the bush fires for more farm lands and etc.Think of the massive poverty
>>caused
>>by farming in the country and yet still we are demanding for more farmers.A
>>better organization of farming is more of our need now and not more
>>farmers".
>> >
>> > You again wrote:
>> >
>> > "His discussion of the eco-system seems confussing but should direct
>>that
>>too to the president,that having crocodiles pounds and other animals at
>>Kaninlia are equally dangerous to the eco-system, because it is not their
>>natural breeding place.
>> >
>> > Saiks,
>> >
>> > Dr. Edgar's reference to ecology and ecosystems was to give us an idea
>>of
>>from what perspective he was seeing agriproduction that is sustainable and
>>can
>>act as a catalyst for the development of small-medium businesses as well as
>>nations.
>> >
>> > His reference to President Jammeh's call for our youths to return to
>>the
>>land is also quite appropriate here. This is so because when Jammeh tells
>>us
>>to return to the land he is not refering to those who are already there. He
>>is
>>refering basically to those without the skills or education to compete for
>>the
>>limited jobs in the GBA but who, nontheless, would rather be roaming about
>>our
>>streets and doing nothing gainful.
>> >
>> > Secondly, if we agree that the way agriculture has been practised in
>>the
>>country since time immemorial has not yielded much dividents, then I
>>believe
>>we ought to rethink our farming methods and strategies; and who better to
>>do
>>that than the educated and semi-educated. At least such people would be
>>able
>>to make our farmers better understand how certain farming practices may be
>>more appropriate than others. They would also be in a better position to
>>use
>>fertilizers more appropriately as well as a more effective use of manure
>>and
>>compost. This line of thought is supported by Dr. Edgar, when he wrote:
>> >
>> > "Sure enough, the average output per hectare increased from 1.15 tons
>>to 5
>>tons. The team with The Gambia Agricultural Experimentation Station is
>>trying
>>to improve the production by a new strain Nerica (New Rice for Africa), and
>>improve the soil condition".
>> >
>> > This was possible because of research done by the Taiwanese
>>Agricultural
>>Team in the country and their Gambian counterparts. These people carried
>>out
>>research with over 800 species of rice and finally selected the best 6
>>varities that are better adapted to The Gambian lowland environment, and to
>>the rain-fed conditions. The absolute majority of our farmers can be here
>>for
>>the next 300 years and they will never come this close if they are still
>>left
>>on their own to do things they've always done them!
>> >
>> > The fact that:
>> >
>> > "All in all, in less than 5 years, the areas of rice paddies in The
>>Gambia
>>have increased to 6350 hectares. Annual production of rice almost doubled
>>from
>>18,950 tons in 1996 to 34,100 tons in 2000, saving more than $3 million
>>foreign exchange for importing rice.
>> >
>> > Great potential to expand areas for rice production exist in The
>>Gambia.
>>Currently, plans are underway to design and develop tidal irrigation system
>>to
>>increase the areas to more than 400 hectares in five years. Potentials for
>>the
>>areas utilising the rain resource during the rainy season also exist.
>>According to the estimate, additional increase in rice production 115,600
>>tons
>>per year is not an unreachable target",
>> >
>> > can also be attributed to educated people showing a selected population
>>of
>>farmers how they can better farm rice.
>> >
>> > You again wrote:
>> >
>> > "Off course there are external factors,but overshadow by the internal
>>ones.Thinking here more the hypocritical standpoint of both the World Bank
>>and
>>other financial institutions on the question of agricultural subsidy,whiles
>>denying third world government to do that,the richest nation in the
>>world,USA,is still involved in subsidising agricultural farming and here is
>>a
>>country with over production of agricultural food.Well I can understand
>>this
>>gentlman of the eco-system,that he has a political programme to promote,but
>>it
>>is much more better for him to hold on to that than involved himself in our
>>politics with so a heavy opinoin,without having much knowledge of our
>>poverty
>>problems Turn our youths to scientists and keep them off the land,pay the
>>farmers their Moines so that they can be more productive".
>> >
>> > Finally Saiks, Dr. Edgar's reference to China's policy of not paying
>>much
>>attention to agriculture but instead focussing more on industrialisation is
>>something that should worry the average poor nation, particularly those in
>>sub-Saharan Africa. This is because we are not in a position to compete
>>with
>>China for world-market food products when the liveihood or security of
>>their
>>state depends on it.
>> >
>> > At the moment, there is zilch we can do about farm subsidies by either
>>the
>>EU or America except grumble and plead with them. There is also very little
>>we
>>can do about the worldbanks and IMFs of this world who, while prohibiting
>>us
>>from giving subsidies to our farmers completely stay mute about subsidies
>>by
>>the EU and the USA. For these reasons, we need to diversify agriproduction
>>so
>>as to at least be able to feed ourselves and have some surplus to market. I
>>am
>>sure both the EU and American scientists are busy researching how to
>>cheaply
>>produce those traditional third world produce. It is therefore our
>>collective
>>responsibility to advise each other as to how to do things differently and
>>better.
>> >
>> > Have a good day, Gassa.
>> >
>> > There is a time in the life of every problem when it is big enough to
>>see,
>>yet small enough to solve. -Mike- Levitt-
>> >
>> >
>> >
>>
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