Land Nature Communications

16/09/2026

National Agroecology Forum Calls for Greater Investment in Local Fertiliser Production

The Gambia’s agricultural future must be built on climate-resilient farming, stronger local production and greater support for farmers, stakeholders have said at the National Agroecology Forum 2026, held today, 16 September, at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Centre.

The forum, organised as part of the Week of Climate Action 2026 by ActionAid International The Gambia (AAITG) in collaboration with the CSO Platform on Agroecology, brought together civil society organisations, farmers, agricultural stakeholders and policymakers to advocate for increased investment in agroecology, organic fertilisers and simple farm implements.

Participants also called for a gradual reduction in reliance on chemical fertiliser subsidies and greater support for sustainable alternatives that can benefit farmers and protect the environment.

Speaking at the event, Mr Fafa Cham, Head of Programme and Policy at ActionAid International The Gambia, said agriculture has continued to remain the backbone of the Gambian economy for many years.

ActionAid International The Gambia is promoting agroecology and efforts to reduce dependency on chemical fertilisers through its European Union-funded SAPOF Project Strengthening CSO Support and Advocacy for Sustainable Production and Use of Organic Fertiliser in The Gambia.

Through the project, local community compost chambers have been constructed in areas including Sare Birom in the North Bank Region, Balangarr and Dalaba in the Central River Region, enabling rural gardeners and farmers to turn locally available waste into organic fertiliser.

ActionAid International the Gambia has also distributed thousands of bags of locally produced organic fertiliser to hundreds of smallholder farmers, particularly women and youth, in the North Bank and Central River regions.

As part of its efforts to strengthen farmers’ capacity, ActionAid has trained hundreds of smallholder farmers in climate-resilient and sustainable agriculture, compost making and soil management using locally available materials.

The organisation has further organised forums and workshops, including the National Agroecology Forum, while supporting training for journalists, civil society organisations and persons with disabilities to strengthen public awareness of organic farming and sustainable agricultural alternatives.

Meanwhile, Mr Alieu S. Bojang, Project Coordinator at SOS Children’s Villages The Gambia, said the initiative underscores the organisation’s commitment to holistic care that goes beyond providing shelter, education and healthcare.

He said SOS Children’s Villages works with communities to ensure that children can grow within their families while being nurtured and supported.

Mr Bojang called on the government to support the local production of fertilisers and local farmers, noting that farmers are willing to venture into organic fertiliser production.

The discussions at the forum highlighted the growing call for greater investment in locally driven agricultural solutions, particularly those that can improve soil health, reduce farmers’ dependence on chemical inputs and strengthen food security.

The National Agroecology Forum is therefore providing a platform for farmers, civil society organisations, policymakers and other agricultural stakeholders to collectively promote sustainable food systems and climate-resilient agriculture in The Gambia.

11/09/2026

02/09/2026

197 BAGS OF JUVENILE FISH SEIZED IN THE GAMBIA

Nearly 20 Tonnes of Young Fish Intercepted During Fisheries Surveillance Operation

The Department of Fisheries under the Ministry of Fisheries, Water Resources and National Assembly Matters has seized 197 bags of juvenile fish during a recent surveillance operation targeting illegal fishing activities and strengthening compliance with fisheries laws and regulations.
Each bag of the seized fish weighs approximately 100 kilograms, bringing the total quantity to about 19.7 tonnes of juvenile fish.

The Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Fisheries, Water Resources and National Assembly Matters, Buba Sanyang, said the seizure was made during a routine surveillance exercise conducted by a multi-agency team comprising officials from the Department of Fisheries/MCS, a representative from Brufut Fishing Centre, the Police, The Gambia Navy and Anti-Crime officers.

According to PS Sanyang, the surveillance operation is part of the Department of Fisheries’ ongoing efforts to strengthen Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (MCS), promote compliance with fisheries laws and regulations, and ensure the sustainable management and conservation of the country’s fisheries resources.

Surveillance teams periodically conduct monitoring exercises to assess fishing activities by fishermen and women across the country. During their recent routine exercise, the team encountered individuals allegedly involved in the smuggling of juvenile fish, leading to the seizure of the 197 bags.

“Imagine when those juvenile fish return back to the ocean, what impact would that have for us as a country?” PS Sanyang said.

He noted that the surveillance exercise also provided an opportunity to identify major challenges affecting effective fisheries surveillance and develop practical recommendations for improving future operations.

PS Sanyang said the objectives of the surveillance include monitoring compliance with the Fisheries Act and Regulations, detecting and preventing Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing activities, inspecting fishing boats, fishing gear and catches, investigating suspected illegal night fishing activities, and promoting sustainable fisheries management and conservation.

He stressed that the Ministry is fighting to eliminate IUU fishing activities in the country, expressing concern that some fishermen and women continue to capture juvenile fish from the ocean and river systems, which he said is against the country’s fisheries laws and threatens the sustainability of fish stocks.

The Permanent Secretary also addressed the participation of foreign nationals in the fisheries sector. He informed that foreigners are not allowed to conduct fishing activities within the country’s inland waters, while their fishing activities are limited to coastal waters in accordance with applicable regulations.

“We want to bridge the gap by creating avenue for our own Gambians to come to the sector,” PS Sanyang said.

He further revealed that the Ministry is working towards procuring fibre boats to encourage more Gambians to participate in fishing activities rather than leaving foreigners to dominate the sector.

PS Sanyang explained that when some foreign fishers return to their countries of origin for occasions such as Koriteh, the country can experience serious fish shortages, particularly around coastal areas. He added that the absence of some foreign fishers during such periods can also leave some fish landing sites understaffed.

The seizure of the nearly 20 tonnes of juvenile fish highlights the continuing challenges facing fisheries management in The Gambia and the importance of effective monitoring, enforcement and cooperation among government institutions, fishing communities and other stakeholders.

Protecting juvenile fish is essential to maintaining healthy fish stocks, safeguarding fishing livelihoods, supporting food security and ensure that Gambia fisheries resources remain available for future generations.juvenile fish are tomorrow’s catch. Protecting them means protecting the future of our fisheries.



Source Ministry of Fisheries

01/09/2026

🟢 Driving Responsible Investment & Youth Innovation in The Gambia’s Agrifood Sector

FAO the Gambia launched the Innovative Approaches for Responsible Investment and Business Conduct in Tropical Fruit Value Chains project, generously supported by Flanders Cooperation of Belgium, alongside multilateral and bilateral partners.

The launch also featured the Technical Cooperation Project .Empowering Youth in Responsible Agricultural Investment: Agri-Accelerator 2.0.

Building on FAO’s partnership with young Gambian entrepreneurs through the Agri-Accelerator, these initiatives are helping young people transform promising ideas into stronger, investment-ready and job-creating businesses.

More than 70 young people have received investment-readiness coaching, while 24 earlier Agri-Accelerator cohorts have benefited from incentive support to strengthen their businesses.

Participants have reported stronger business knowledge, increased confidence in presenting their ideas, improved financial literacy and a clearer understanding of markets. Coaches have also strengthened their ability to provide practical and tailored support.

For FAO, this is about creating opportunities for young women and men to build viable sectors, embrace innovation, create decent jobs and contribute to stronger local economies, while expanding women’s participation in agrifood systems.

🌍 These efforts contribute to FAO’s vision of Better Production, Better Nutrition and a Better Life, while creating pathways for young

Gambians to build sustainable livelihoods and contribute to a more resilient agrifood sector.
Investing in young people today means building stronger, more inclusive and sustainable food systems for tomorrow.

20/08/2026

🌾 Making Agricultural Standards Simple and Accessible for Gambian Farmers 🇬🇲

The Gambia Standards Bureau (TGSB), with support from the GIRAV Project Gambia, has handed over communication materials on rice, maize, and groundnut to support farmers across The Gambia. Funded by the World Bank through the GIRAV Project,

The materials are designed to provide farmers with simple, practical, and easy-to-understand communication tools that translate technical agricultural standards into information they can readily apply in their daily farming activities.

For many farmers, technical standards can sometimes be difficult to understand because of complex terminology and technical requirements.

These materials aim to bridge that communication gap by presenting important information in a clear, practical, and farmer-friendly format.

The materials provide guidance on quality standards, good agricultural practices, harvesting, post-harvest handling, storage, and ways to reduce post-harvest losses.

By improving access to understandable information, farmers can make informed decisions that contribute to better-quality agricultural products and improved market opportunities.

Speaking at the handover ceremony, Director General of The Gambia Standards Bureau, Mr Papa Secka, highlighted the importance of communicating standards in a way that is practical and accessible to farmers.

He emphasised that effective communication is essential to ensuring that technical standards are not only developed but also understood and adopted at the farm level.

The initiative also demonstrates the importance of effective communication in strengthening agricultural value chains. When farmers understand what quality standards require and how to apply them, they are better positioned to improve production practices, reduce post-harvest losses, maintain product quality, and meet market requirements.

In his launching remarks, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture,Mr. Alhagie Nyangado, stressed the importance of collaboration among stakeholders to ensure that farmers receive the information and knowledge needed to adopt and apply agricultural standards.

The initiative reflects the shared commitment of TGSB, the GIRAV Project, the World Bank, and the Ministry of Agriculture to making technical agricultural information more accessible to farmers and strengthening the competitiveness of Gambian agricultural products.

At its heart, this initiative is about making standards understandable, turning technical information into practical knowledge, and putting the right communication tools in the hands of farmers.

🌾 Simple information. Practical knowledge. Better understanding. Stronger farmers.

16/07/2026

🌱 Youth Hold the Key to Transforming The Gambia's Agrifood Future – Hon. Sulayman Jammeh

Young people must move from being beneficiaries of agricultural programmes to becoming innovators, entrepreneurs, investors and leaders driving The Gambia's agrifood transformation, Hon. Sulayman Jammeh, Chairman of the National Assembly Select Committee on Regional Government, Lands and Ombudsman, has declared.

Speaking at the Youth Parliament Retreat organised by the African Food Systems Parliamentary Network (AFSPAN) in collaboration with Soil Solutions,

Hon. Jammeh said Gambian youth, particularly those engaged in agriculture, represent an extraordinary opportunity to achieve food security, create decent jobs, strengthen climate resilience and accelerate national economic growth.

He stressed that the successful implementation of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) agenda depends on bold political leadership, evidence-based policymaking and sustained investment in the agricultural sector.

"As Members of Parliament, we have a critical role to play in creating an enabling policy and legislative environment, ensuring adequate budget allocations, accountability and champion policies that empower young women and men to participate meaningfully across agricultural value chains," he said.

Hon. Jammeh encouraged young people to embrace innovation, climate-smart agriculture, digital technologies and improved access to finance as essential tools for transforming the country's food systems.

He noted that the retreat provided a valuable platform for youth to exchange ideas, share experiences and develop practical solutions to strengthen parliamentary engagement in advancing youth-led agrifood systems in The Gambia.

He further called for collective action to build resilient, inclusive and sustainable agrifood systems that will create opportunities for young people while contributing to the aspirations of Agenda 2063 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Also addressing the retreat, the Executive Director of the National Youth Council, Alagie Jarjue, acknowledged that limited access to finance and market opportunities remains one of the biggest obstacles facing young farmers and agripreneurs.

He revealed that the Government of The Gambia is supporting more than 200 young farmers through matching grants aimed at increasing youth participation in agriculture.

Mr. Jarjue also advised young entrepreneurs to be cautious about borrowing from commercial banks charging interest rates as high as 25 percent, warning that such loans can place a heavy burden on emerging businesses.

Meanwhile, Hon. Bameju Agho of the African Food Systems Parliamentary Network highlighted the Kampala Declaration, calling for stronger youth participation, increased investment and innovative policies to transform Africa's agrifood systems.

The retreat brought together youth leaders, young entrepreneurs, policymakers and development partners to explore practical solutions for creating a more resilient, inclusive and sustainable agricultural sector capable of driving economic growth and employment in The Gambia.

23/06/2026

AGRIC MINISTRY DISBURSE FREE ORGANIC FERTILIZERS TO GAMBIAN FARMERS 🌱

In a historic first for The Gambia, the Government of The Gambia, through the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Security, has secured 10,000 metric tons of organic fertiliser that will be distributed free of charge to farmers across the country.

This groundbreaking initiative is designed to promote sustainable agricultural practices, improve soil fertility and soil health, boost crop productivity, and reduce the financial burden on farmers. It reflects the Government’s strong commitment to building a resilient and environmentally sustainable agricultural sector.

In addition, the Government has maintained the regulated fertiliser price at D1,100 per bag for the 2026 farming season despite global supply chain disruptions and rising agricultural input costs.

This achievement has been made possible through a substantial Government subsidy of D1.6 billion, ensuring that farmers continue to access affordable inputs.

To support the 2026 cropping season, 17,085 metric tons of fertiliser are expected to arrive shortly, guaranteeing the timely availability of all fertiliser types required by farmers nationwide.

These interventions reaffirm the Government’s commitment to strengthening food security, increasing agricultural productivity, creating employment opportunities, and improving the livelihoods of Gambian farmers.

05/06/2026

🟢🌿 WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY 2026: RESTORING NATURE, SECURING OUR FUTURE

Today, as we commemorate World Environment Day 2026, we celebrate not only the beauty of our environment but also the remarkable efforts being made across The Gambia to protect, restore, and sustainably manage our natural resources for future generations.

In recent years, The Gambia has strengthen its commitment to climate action and environmental sustainability through the development of the National Adaptation Plan (NAP), a landmark framework designed to build resilience in key sectors such as agriculture, water resources, fisheries, health, forestry, and coastal ecosystems.

The NAP is a major step toward ensuring that communities can better fight the growing impacts of climate change.Gambia has made significant progress on restoration programs.

Through government-led initiatives and partnerships with communities, development partners, and civil society organizations, thousands of hectares of degraded land have been restored through tree planting campaigns and community forestry programmes.

Across the country, schools, youth groups, women's organizations, and local communities have actively engage in planting trees to combat deforestation, restore biodiversity.

Equally important are the ongoing mangrove restoration efforts along The Gambia's coastlines and riverbanks. Mangrove ecosystems serve as critical natural barriers against coastal erosion, provide breeding grounds for fish, support local livelihoods, and store significant amounts of carbon.

The restoration and protection of these ecosystems are helping to strengthen climate resilience while safeguarding biodiversity and food security.

The fisheries sector continues to promote sustainable management practices that protect marine resources and ensure long-term benefits for coastal communities. Together, these achievements demonstrate that environmental protection and sustainable development go hand in hand.

As we mark this World Environment Day, let us renew our collective commitment to protecting our forests, restoring degraded ecosystems, conserving biodiversity, and taking meaningful climate action. Every tree planted, every mangrove restored, and every sustainable choice made today brings us closer to a greener, healthier, and more resilient Gambia.

The future of our environment is in our hands. The time for action is now.

06/05/2026

🟢CLIMATE FINANCE: CAN THE GAMBIA FUND ITS FIGHT AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE?

Climate change is no longer just an environmental concern for The Gambia it is rapidly emerging as one of the country’s most pressing financial and economic challenges.

At the Launching of the report, The Vice President Muhammed B.S. Jallow made a powerful statement: Climate Change is already shaping the country’s economic future, and the cost of inaction is simply too high. But beyond the urgency of the crisis lies a more critical question how will The Gambia finance its response?

Despite contributing less than 0.01% of global greenhouse gas emissions, The Gambia is among the most climate-vulnerable countries in the world.

Today, more than 60% of the population lives in coastal and urban areas exposed to high climate risks. Flooding alone is already costing the country up to 3.8% of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) every year.

If current trends continue, the outlook becomes even more concerning. Experts warn that climate-related disasters could reduce The Gambia’s GDP by 9.3% by 2050 threatening livelihoods, increasing poverty, and placing immense pressure on key sectors like agriculture, which supports nearly 70% of the population.

🟢 FROM CLIMATE CRISIS TO FINANCING CHALLENGE

What is becoming increasingly clear is that climate change is not only an environmental issue it is a financing challenge. Building resilience requires significant, sustained, and well-structured investment.

According to the report, The Gambia will need nearly $8 billion in climate finance by 2050 to protect its development gains and strengthen national resilience. This includes investments in coastal protection, climate-smart agriculture, resilient infrastructure, and heat adaptation measures.

But this funding requirement presents both a challenge and an opportunity.

🟢 THE ROLE OF THE PRIVATE SECTOR

Finance Minister Seedy Keita acknowledged that the government cannot meet these financing needs alone. Approximately 35% of the required funding is expected to come from the private sector.

However, a major gap remains. Currently, only 15% of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in The Gambia have access to formal financing. This limits the ability of local businesses and innovators to invest in climate solutions and green growth opportunities.

Bridging this gap will require targeted reforms—making climate projects more bankable, expanding access to finance, and creating incentives that attract private investment into green sectors.

🌳 WHY CLIMATE FINANCE MATTERS NOW MORE THAN EVER

As World Bank Country Rep Franklin Mutahakaba emphasized, addressing environmental risks is not a parallel agenda it is central to sustainable development.

Early investments in resilience especially in coastal protection and heat adaptation can deliver some of the highest long-term economic returns. Simply put, investing now will cost far less than rebuilding later.

🌱 TURNING INVESTMENT INTO IMPACT

Climate finance, if properly mobilized, has the potential to transform The Gambia’s economy. It can create jobs, strengthen agriculture, protect vulnerable communities, and position the country as a leader in climate-smart development.

At the same time, it can safeguard critical areas like Banjul, which Environment Minister Rohey John Manjang described as a matter of national heritage and survival in the face of rising sea levels.

🟢 A DEFINING MOMENT FOR THE GAMBIA

The Gambia now faces a critical choice: continue on a business-as-usual path and risk significant economic losses, or take bold steps to mobilize climate finance and build a resilient future.

🌳The Challenge is Significant but so is the Opportunity......

The future of The Gambia will depend not only on how it responds to climate change, but on how effectively it finances that response.

📢
🟢 The question is no longer whether climate finance is needed but how fast it can be mobilized.

03/05/2026

WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY 2026

“Voices for the Planet, Freedom for the People”
✊ Why It Matters

On this World Press Freedom Day, we celebrate the power of free press, independent, and responsible media in shaping environmental journalism and strategic communication play a critical role in:

🌳 Raising awareness on climate change and environmental degradation

🌳 Amplifying community voices and indigenous knowledge

🌳 Promoting transparency and accountability in natural resource management

🌳 Driving policy change and sustainable development