Date: Wed, 14 Nov 2012 14:11:06 -0500
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[log in to unmask]Subject: [G_L] Food Independence need more than just talk
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Gambia's population 2012 ~1.7million
Total cropland area: ~300,000 ha about 150,000 ha for food crops
Divide cropland area among each Gambian (Per capita cropland area) -
0.17 ha or 42 meters by 42 meters
Crop yield under rain-fed conditions 800kg per ha. This translates
to 136 kg of food per person even if we grow only food crops ( i.e
no groundnuts or cotton anywhere)
Post-harvest loss estimated between 10 and 40% . Assuming the 20%
loss, at best each Gambian will take home 108kg of millet/rice per
year. 2 "senkant" bags
With the above numbers, can Gambians attain food independence? Is
the Kanilai Family Farm (KFF) the model to emulate?
Given that the President's Farm / Kanilai Family Farm is such an
anomaly in terms of access to resources, i.e land, labor and
capital, its hard to imagine how the ordinary farmer can benefit
from KFF model.
First according to published records the Kanilai Family Farms
holdings include - In Kanilai area - 197ha, Sifoe 423ha, Farato
37ha, Jurunku more than 20 ha - total 658ha plus 20 to 30 small
farms across the country
During 2012 growing season alone we were told that -
Global International Football Training Services GIFTS donated 200
pairs of rainboots
300 youths from the Dynamic Sarahulleh Association helped clear the
farm in July,
2000 youths countrywide participated in weeding the President
Jammeh’s Kanilai Farms September 2012.
100 volunteers from the State House Mosque at the President's Yundum
Farm
Help by civil servants and others
In addition to free labor, how many of the President's farm use
tractors? How many of these are fueled and serviced by voluntary
contributions? How many of these volunteers pay for their
transportation to Kanilai, pay for their own food while in Kanilai?
We know that some of the problems faced by farmers are inadequate
inputs (water, fertilizer, machinery, labor), how much of the
President's farm is rainfed and how much is irrigated. If irrigated
how much does it cost per unit product?
As for on-farm loss, we know that the Kanilai Family Farm is able to
build 2 meter cement / steel fence around most of their farms with
24/7 protection from security.
In short how can this model be replicated across the country? From
what I know, most farmers are aware of the high costs involved and
certainly understand that the KFF model is beyond their means. As
such why do we think that just talking about food independence,
without addressing the basics of lack of resources would ever make a
difference.
Malanding Jaiteh
courtesy
http://observer.gm/africa/gambia/article/towards-food-independence-1
Towards food independence
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