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Sunday, October 3, 2010

Darboe Split the Beans, Concerns with the Plight of Farmers


Banjul, The Gambia (TNBES) The Online publication, Mansa Banko has it that the Leader of the main Opposition Party, United Democracy Party (UDP), Lawyer Ousainou Darboe has said that the remuneration of farmers for their produce to be sold should be a great concern for the government as they should not leave them to go to the ‘Lumos’ (local markets) to sell their produce.

In an interview with local media, Mr. Darboe says “no one can deny that the biggest work force in this country is constituted by farming communities. It is the largest work force in this country. We want them to realize their wages as early as the marketing started in this year’s trade season, because they earn wages only once in year”.


Darboe went on; farmers are looking forward to their earnings after three to four months of hard work in the field under the hot sun. At the end of the day, they want to realize the fruits of their hard work and sweat but the government seemed to be doing little about it.

He spelled out that Gambian farmers are not in a position to provide markets for themselves so as to sell their produce to the international markets. The farmers, he noted are not in positions to even determined the prices neither for their own produce nor to create a viable market for themselves.

According to Darboe, “all this should be provided by the Government or probably with other stakeholders to come to the aid of the government if they cannot provide markets for poor farmers.

“It is unpardonable that after all this toil, the farmers should go without realizing their wages. I know that in November, after a very good trade season,” He was quoted as saying.

On behalf of the party, “we are advising that whosoever is responsible for these marketing facilities should ensure that this year’s trade season is not like past season, when farmers were left to go to the lumos to sell their produce. This was what I said in my New Year message. There should not be anyone owing them.” VOL:2 ISSN:34

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