Musa Jawneh, the president of National Farmers Platform-The Gambia (NFP), has said that President Jammeh's back-to-the-land call is the only way our country can attain food security.

The president's clarion call according to Jawneh, will enable the country attain food self-sufficiency, adding that it demonstrates the Gambian leader's untiring dedication and visionary leadership, as well as his love for Gambians. Jawneh made these remarks recently in an exclusive interview with the Daily Observer. "His call for citizens to till the land and eat what we grow", I think after all, is helping us [The Gambians]. This will also enable the country not to depend on other countries for food assitance. But if we till the land this will enable the country to even export food stuffs to other countries, despite the small size of our country," he said.

Due to this clarion call Jawneh observed, many people have responded massively, adding that President Jammeh is working for the interest of Gambians. "Gambia is our country, so we should try and protect our food consumption in the same way as we  safeguard  our laws .We should try and help farmers, as the development of Agriculture is a collective responsibility  of all," he remarked.

Commenting on his organisation's aims and objectives, Jawneh disclosed that the NFP, is the national bantaba for all farmers, where all relevant information and needs regarding their concern is passed to relevant institutions for actions to be taken. According to him, his association came into being to bridge the barriers between farmers and government institutions, so as to make their concerns and constraints heard.

He said, in The Gambia farmers are the people behind the country's food self-sufficiency drive, adding that with this task, farmers lack centres where they can lodge their constraints or needs that will be transmitted to government departments for actions.  Jawaneh further observed that in the developed countries, farmers are the people who has a say in the country's food control programmes, adding that they also inform their governments  about ventures that would increase the economy of these countries both in terms of domestic food and foreign exchange. "So, these foreign exchange will drastically reduce the monies government spent in the importation of other foodstuffs in the country," he concluded.