Six Cooperative Groups Supported by Nema-Chosso Generates D11M

By Ousman A. Marong

Six cooperative group from Boiram, Kudang, Bajarally Suba Juruku Salikene, and Pakalinding over the weekend generated an amount of money worth over eleven million dalasis (D11, 000,000.00).

This initiative came through the support from Nema-Chosso.

According to Mr. Momodou L. Gassama Projector Director said, over the last two (2) years the six cooperative bodies have generated a savings of over eleven million dalasis (D11, 000, 000. 00) from the purchase of sale fertilizer alone, he confirmed.

“The project provides support to organizational management, initial seed-funding as well as linkages conniving The Gambia Groundnut Cooperation (GGC) and the National Seeds Secretariat (NCS) to promote access to fertilizer and improved seeds for rice production,” he stated.

He made this disclosure in an exclusive interview with our reporter in his Abuko office. Mr. Gassama further gave updates on some of the project’s success with special focus to support cooperatives and linkages between producers, economic operators and other actors of value chain. “These initiatives have been ongoing since the start of the project implementation in 2012,” he asserted.

According to him, the six cooperatives groups were created in the cluster areas of, Boiram and Kudang in Central River Region South (CRR South), Bajarally Suba in Central River Region North (CRR North), Jurunku and Salikene in North Bank Region (NBR) and Pakalinding in Lower River Region (LRR).

According to him the Nema project was financed by the government of the Gambia through funds from International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), a Rome based UN Agency which focuses on poverty and hunger in rural areas of developing countries.

He disclosed that the project had made numerous impacts on the lives of The Gambian youths and women respectively since its official launching in 2012, he said.

 He noted that the project has supported the formation of six agricultural cooperatives to serve the interests of their members along rice value chains across the country.

“With this initial support of the project”, noted Mr. Gassama, “the 6 cooperatives are now playing the role of economic operators, facilitating access to fertilizer for their members through bulk-buying from the Gambia Groundnut Cooperation (GGC). With the revenues generated and the trust they have built with (GGC) over the years, the cooperatives are now able to secure fertilizer for their members without direct project support, thereby laying the fundamental foundation for sustainability after the phasing-out of the project.”

Mr. Bakary Jammeh the cooperative project focal person outlined the projects support in providing them with the construction of nineteen (19) seeds and grains storage facilities across the six (6) cooperatives. He said this will enable farmers to effectively store their harvest products, noted.

PHOTO: Mr. Gassama. {Photo credit Edrissa Njie}