One hundred Agricultural extension workers recently concluded a three-day training of trainers' workshop on vegetable and livestock production held in the Agricultural Rural Farmers Training Centre (ARFTC) in Jenoi, Lower River Region.

The workshop was organised by the Ministry of Agriculture and funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development and the African Development Bank through the Livestock and Horticultural Development Project (LHDP). Speaking at the occasion, Kalifa Kambi, the deputy minister of Agriculture, said that the purpose of the training is to upgrade the skills and knowledge of the participants on horticultural and livestock production.

According to him, the LHDP is geared towards addressing the need to increase productivity in the agricultural sector. He noted that, the project is consistent with the current government economic policy and the PRSP II (2007-2011) which give priority to increasing agricultural productivity and improve food security.

Kambi expressed optimism that, the training will no doubt equip participants with the knowledge on improved technologies in livestock and horticultural production. The training, he emphasised, is anticipated to contribute to increased agricultural production, export expansion and diversification as well as increase income and household food security of farmers. He said, this is in line with Vision 2020 and the blueprint championed by His Excellency Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr. Yahya Jammeh. Dr. Sait Drammeh, the director general of Agriculture, urged participants to make good use of the knowledge gained  during the training, noting that it is part of their contribution towards the attainment of Vision 2020 and the MDGs.

The director of Livestock and Horticultural Development Project (LHDP), Lamin AD Sanyang, revealed that, LHDP is a five-year project funded by ADB and IFAD with a nationwide coverage. According to him, the total cost of the LHDP is 14 million US dollars, adding that its objectives are in line with the government's PRSP II, Vision 2020 and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Sanyang said that, the project aims at enhancing the capacity of stakeholders as well as to empower the women and youths in order to reduce poverty through major crosscutting issues. Other speakers include, Falalo Touray the regional agricultural director in LRR and Ousman Jammeh regional agricultural director in CRR south.