The National Coordinating Organisation for Farmers Association – The Gambia (NACOFAG) in collaboration with International Trade Centre (ITC) recently completed a week-long training for 40 women and youth vegetable gardeners on agro-marketing.

The training was conducted at Kanuma Community Centre, in the North Bank Region.

NACOFAG is the Network of Farmers Associations with the aim of mobilizing farmers, women and youths geared towards accelerating the government’s efforts for the development of Agriculture.

Yusupha Keita, coordinator of job skills and finance programme at ITC said agriculture has for the past years not been productive, due to a lack of proper knowledge on agricultural tools and their implementation.

Part of their mission, he said, is to train farmers on farming techniques for them to move beyond smallholder farming, and increase their production base.

“The two main reasons why agriculture is not productive is because farmers are not equipped in agricultural farming; that is why many don’t know how to market their produce. This training is an essential guide for you to implement it into practice.” he said.

Michelle Mendy, lady councillor in the North Bank Region spoke on the significance of the training while urging women gardeners to put the training into good use.

Momodou Drammeh, managing partner of Enterprise Gambia underscored the role women in national development, saying women are critical in the socio-economic advancement of any country.

Awa Sonko, women gardener applauded NACOFAG for initiating such training, saying the training is vital towards empowering them with requisite knowledge on agrarian farming.