{"id":17851,"date":"2024-07-29T13:44:25","date_gmt":"2024-07-29T12:44:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/selfhelpafrica.org\/uk\/?p=17851"},"modified":"2024-07-29T13:44:31","modified_gmt":"2024-07-29T12:44:31","slug":"demonstration-farm-shows-farmers-in-the-gambia-a-climate-smart-future","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/selfhelpafrica.org\/uk\/demonstration-farm-shows-farmers-in-the-gambia-a-climate-smart-future\/","title":{"rendered":"Demonstration farm shows farmers in The Gambia a climate-smart future"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
A Self Help Africa \u2018demonstration farm\u2019 is helping the next generation of farmers in The Gambia grow more organic fruit and vegetables to eat and sell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Traditionally, The Gambia has relied heavily on imported fruit and vegetables to stock markets and dinner plates. This limits farmers\u2019 earning potential and costing families more. But, Self Help Africa’s demonstration farm \u2013 managed by Ousman Manneh and his small team of agricultural experts \u2013 has been showcasing climate-smart and chemical-free growing practices to local communities, farmers and even school pupils.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Despite climate-related weather changes, Ousman and his team are successfully growing papayas, bananas, pineapples, strawberries, ginger and garlic. A natural pesticide mixed on site allows crops to grow chemical-free. A focus on recycling \u2018waste\u2019 includes using discarded plastic as mulch and tyres as planting beds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis demonstration farm is a place where people can come and learn,\u201d Ousman said. \u201cWe bring students, farmers, even civil servants to show them what they believe cannot be grown in The Gambia, can be grown here. Seeing is believing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The demonstration farm has also successfully grown onions during the rainy season, which farmers didn\u2019t do previously. The women-led co-operative farms we support across The Gambia are now growing them year-round, with great results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n