In their strive to mitigate losses caused by the 2004/05 locust invasion, the Africa Emergency Locust Project (AELP) The Gambia, has ventured to assist at least 230 villages with 15 tons of Nerica rice seeds in the build up to the 2008 farming season.

Confirming this at the opening of a five-day 'Quest Training' in Jenoi, Lower River Region, Yassin Khan, monitoring and evaluation officer of the project, said the gesture due for distribution, adding that it was acquired following a request by the affected farmers. Ms Khan disclosed that farmers will also benefit from cassava plantation, as well as seeds of fruit trees.

This move according to her, is in line with the project's component B (Emergency Agricultural Investment). "Recently, the project provided 113 villages with compensation packages in the form of farming inputs and a varieties of vegetable seeds, as well as watering cans," she said.

Highlighting some of their immediate plans, Ms Khan said the project is on the verge of providing test kits for health officers in a bid to test cholinesterase in people exposed to pesticide. "We also intend to embark on a massive sensitisation campaign across the country," she informed training participants.