The Gambia has awarded $13.93 million in contracts to develop and rehabilitate 685 hectares of rice fields across six communities in the Upper River Region (URR), in a push to increase domestic rice production and strengthen food security.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Security said the contracts were awarded under the ROOTS Project’s Lot 2 Pump Irrigation Intervention, with work expected to be completed within 12 months.
The targeted communities are Kossemar, Sotuma, Changally, Basse, Koina and Keneba.
Heilongjiang Yiha Highway Engineering Co. Ltd. will undertake the projects in Kossemar, Sotuma, Changally and Basse, while Xinjiang Changlong Construction Co. Ltd. has been contracted to carry out the work in Koina and Keneba.
The works include land preparation, earthworks, access improvements, pumping facilities, pipelines and irrigation and drainage systems. The contracts also cover infrastructure testing, operator training and the handover of completed facilities.
The ministry said improved irrigation would give farmers more reliable access to water and could enable them to cultivate rice twice a year, potentially increasing production and making better use of available farmland.
The investment forms part of the government’s efforts to expand local agricultural production, reduce dependence on seasonal rainfall and improve the country’s food security.
