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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