Three administrative regions in the country Thursday presented 1, 491 bags of farm produce to the Gambian leader, His Excellency Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr. Yahya Jammeh, being proceeds from his regional farms in these regions.

The produce came from the Lower River, West Coast and North Bank Regions, and was received by the president at State House. The North Bank presented 937 bags; West Coast Region presented 489 bags, whilst Lower River presented 65 bags.

Speaking after receiving the bags of farm produce, President Jammeh commended the farmers in these regions for their tireless work and sense of loyalty, but more so for helping him in his farming activities. He prayed for Almighty Allah to reward the farmers, people he said have answered to his call wholeheartedly.

While frowning at the attitude of some of the farmers who turned deaf year to his call, the Gambian leader pointed out that his farming activities are in the interest of the Gambian people. He made it clear that his numerous assistance to the different facet of the society is made possible thanks to the proceeds from his farming activities given the fact that his salary cannot do all those things.

As expected in such a gathering, President Jammeh re-launched his campaign for the citizenry to engage themselves in farming with a view to not only assure food self-sufficiency, but to eat what is grown locally. “We have to go back to the land to eat what we grow and grow what we eat. The foods supplied to Africa are ones unneeded by the suppliers and that is why we must farm to eat what we grow,” the Gambian stated.

He lamented that today children are born with serious deformities, while also citing the alarming nature of rampant diseases that were unheard of in those days. These problems, he added could be attributed to the type of food people consume. He further stressed that growing what we eat would assure good health and their general wellbeing.

The president also harped on the stride his government is making to ensure that the upcoming farming becomes successful. To this end, he informed farmers of the high quality fertilizers that will be supplied to them this year to enhance their production. He said the fertilizer is one of its kind in Africa, noting that it is manufactured in the Republic of China on Taiwan for their use. He expressed hope that that will go a long way in helping the farmers.

The secretary general and head of the Civil Service, Dr Njogou Bah, for his part, thanked the farmers for the gesture, describing it as no small token in the sense that the intention matters most. He was quick to impress it on them that the investment in agriculture by the government are all geared towards enhancing and achieving food self-sufficiency in the country as envisioned by the Gambian leader. He enjoined the citizenry not to hesitate to continue to respond to the noble and meaningful call of the Gambian leader to till the land for their very own good.

Commending the farmers for their hard work, the SG and Civil Service boss also underscored that the proceeds of President Jammeh’s farming ventures will be ploughed back to the society in various ways.

Also speaking at the occasion, the minister of Agriculture, Solomon Owens, harped on the attention given to the sector by the government, as well as its commitment to addressing the plight of the farmers. He disclosed that the government has spent colossal sums of money amounting to millions of dollars for the procurement of both seed and fertilizer for the farmers as part of efforts to make this upcoming season a resounding success.

He told farmers that in enhancing farm production, fertilizer and seeds are key elements, thus stressing that if they have all these at their disposal, what is required of them is to respond positively to work hard.While enjoining that the challenge now lies on the farmers to engage in intense farming activities considering the investments into the agric sector this year alone, Minister Solomon Owens also explained to them that the government will subsidize the high quality fertilizers that will be supplied to them. He then commended the farmers for their effort.

The governors of West Coast, Lower River, and North Bank Regions, Lamin Sanneh, Lamin Darboe and Lamin Queen Jammeh respectively all applauded the government for considering the plight of the farmers, while assuring of intense farming activities in their respective regions. The threegovernors also concurred with the Gambian leader that “eating what you grow” is the way out to ensure not only food self-sufficiency but a good life. They thus stressed the need for the citizenry to re-engage in farming.

Also speaking at the occasion was the National Assembly member for Illiasa Constituency, Hon. Lamin Jammeh, who presented to the Gambian leader on behalf of the speaker of the National Assembly, the proceeds derived from the National Assembly’s Jurunku farm in North Bank Region.