Last week Gambians were probably stunned by pictures showing honorable members of the National Assembly on their own farm, ploughing and planting. It brought to light another solid support for the clarion call by President Jammeh for the people of the Gambia to go back to the land.

Indeed,since the president had been tilling the land himself, it had become obvious that his citizens have no reason to refrain from toiling on the land; not when the state of the world suggests eminent hunger and starvation.  Besides, what is nobler than eating what you yourself have cultivated? But also, pictures of members of the House tilling the land send an additional, powerful message that reinforces the impact of the President's call.

It is quite obvious that the people these assembly members represent look up to them for more than just the issues that are discussed at the National Assembly. They also look up to them for moral guidance. That is what electing them into those offices suggests in the first place. In effect, they are stressing the ultimate truth that self-reliance is the definite solution of the recurrent global problems, which are in fact not only limited to our part of the world.

Perhaps it will help immensely if the honorable members can take a step forward, and devise a way of selling this fantastic idea to the people they represent. It will even be more terrific if they can replicate their efforts in their respective constituencies. Such communal ventures will have the potential to not only solve the perennial problems of the people, but will also, in the long run, help in alleviating poverty. That is nothing more or less than the original idea of going back to the land.

Taking charge of the production of what one eats is a giant step towards true independence.  The move by the honorable members was indeed an exemplary one.