{"id":32433,"date":"2024-04-11T16:57:27","date_gmt":"2024-04-11T15:57:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/selfhelpafrica.org\/ie\/?p=32433"},"modified":"2024-04-12T11:08:20","modified_gmt":"2024-04-12T10:08:20","slug":"revitalising-onion-production-in-the-gambia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/selfhelpafrica.org\/ie\/revitalising-onion-production-in-the-gambia\/","title":{"rendered":"Seeds of Success: Revitalising Onion Production in The Gambia"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Amie from Berefet village, The Gambia<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Onions feature heavily on most Gambian households\u2019 shopping lists, yet more than half of the onions consumed in the country are imported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To help change that, and boost local economies and farmers\u2019 incomes, we have been working with farmers, predominantly women, to increase both the production and business potential of this popular vegetable. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through the EU-funded West Africa Competitiveness Programme, or \u2018WACOMP\u2019 for short, thousands of Gambian farmers have learned new growing and harvesting techniques that have enabled them to start growing onions year-round, which has significantly increased both production and income. Training in relevant business skills, including record keeping, financial management and negotiation has also boosted their confidence and bargaining power.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For smallholder farmer Fatou, who lives in The Gambia\u2019s Central River Region, the arrival of the WACOMP project in her village sparked an interest in onion production that has transformed her income and unleashed her innovative side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 45-year-old has grown vegetables on her smallholder farm for years, but was forced to rely on poor quality seeds from her local market to feed her family of 20 and earn a living. But the seeds would often fail to germinate or perform badly \u2013 leaving her with less to sell at the local market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, having accessed quality seeds and training, including accurate seed spacing, bed preparation, curing, compost making and application, as well as market-oriented production planning, she has felt empowered to trial new and innovative approaches to onion growing \u2013 with impressive results.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n