HOW ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION AFFECTS WOMEN IN SUB- SAHARAN COUNTRIES ESPECIALLY IN THE GAMBIA.

There is already a growing number of female or women headed households in the rural Gambia either as a widow or husband traveled to urban areas or abroad for greener pastures  and the entire welfare of the children rest in the hands of mothers couple with their farming and other domestic works.

 In the Gambia  women produce  75% of the rice  cultivation at the farms and 65% of the labor force in agriculture are women according to the survey conducted by Action Aid the Gambia in 2010.

 Women tilting the soil with their local farming tools for rice cultivation to secure food at home for children and men.

 Therefore their work is essential , particularly  for children, according to survey conducted by a local NGO in 2010 in the Gambia  rural women head almost a quarter of  all households and this is  also prevalence  in  other part of the  world’s poorest countries more so in sub Saharan Africa. 

Although these women are smiling,the Gambia women declared 2011-2012 farming season a failure resulting from severe crop failures and a corresponding soaring of food prices.

According to a media release from the Ministry, signed by Permanent Secretary Ada Gaye, the post-harvest assessment of the 2011 farming season, which was characterized by below normal and poorly distributed rainfall, indicated a reduction in total crop production of more than 70%.

In response to this emerging crisis, according to the release, the government of The Gambia is mobilizing all available emergency funds for immediate action to assist the most affected, and calls on the international community and NGOs to assist in addressing current needs and preventing further deterioration of the situation.

THE RURAL WOMEN WINNOWING THEIR POOR HARVEST FROM THE GRAINS. 

The post-harvest assessment of the 2011 -2012 farming season, which was characterized by below normal and poorly distributed rainfall, indicated a reduction in total crop production of more than 70%. Very poor harvests, varying from nothing harvested in some of the villages and regions to unsatisfactory harvests of rice, groundnuts, millets, maize and sorghum in others, could barely guarantee self-provisioning of 2 months. In an average year, self-provisioning is put at 4-6 months.

This poor harvest is also exacerbated by the soaring world food prices, which in turn have resulted in the rapid depletion of household incomes. 

While food stocks in some of the major markets/areas are still at an acceptable level, price increases are progressively becoming a severe strain on the incomes of poor households and hence their access to food.

Therefore the Gambian women need held to boost their agricultural out put from the donor agents especially 2012 season and am also using my blog to appeal   to the philanthropies,western countries and other international organizations to the help the government and people of the Gambia with food aid,fertilizer etc.

Although Taiwan and Japan with IFAD pledge to assist the government but we need the help of EU and USA & FAO ,so that Gambia will not like be other famine region in west Africa.

Government intends to start in earnest a seed multiplication program for the main food and cash crops, and provide general relief food distributions to the entire farming population particularly those in the hardest hit regions and districts.

The resources urgently needed to realize the above is well beyond what the national capability can guarantee and thus our resort to ask for external help from our friends and development partners. National Seeds requirement is put at 25, 000 MT valued at US$10 Million. Fertilizer requirement is estimated at 37, 500 MT valued at US$8 Million and Food Relief is estimated at 40, 000 MT valued at US$5 Million.

 The entire yellow region of the Sahel in west Africa are currently experiencing food shortages and worst countries are Mali, Niger,and 

 

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