BY Akaleke, OUR BANJUL CORRESPONDENT

  Frustrated by what they called the government's inability to purchase their produce, Gambian farmers have once again vowed to market their groundnut in neighbouring country, Senegal. The aggrieved  farmers say, they will not sell their produce on credit this year. Our own Banjul Correspondent Akaleke, who just returned from the up country to sound the views of farmers on this year trade season, say there is little hope on the side of  poverty stricken farmers, as they  lost confidence on the Jammeh administration. Our reporter who criss crosses  Northern Gambia, say most of the farmers are disappointed about the regime's inability to buy their groundnuts for the past four years.

  Farmers are desperate now because of the continuous failed trade season.  They accused the Jammeh  government of  being insensitive to their plight."said reporter
Akaleke.

  At Kerr Jarnga Jobe, I  met with 56 years old Pa Ousman Jobe,  who told me that since 1998, they lost confidence in the current regime. Mr.Jobe, says" the trade  season has taken  a new direction, because you will sell your groundnut and sit for one or two months before receiving your money" This he went on, is killing the moral and spirit of the farming community in The Gambia. He says most of his colleagues had minimised farming groundnut, since according to him, the regime is unable to market their nuts.

  Ousman,  who spoke at length highlighted the difficulties  they are currently faced with. He also discloses  that nuts usually packed at the bush  were normally stolen over night and this is worrying to  the average farmer. "We want Yaya to do  something for us,  as his party won both the Presidential and Parliamentary  elections in 2001 in Jokadou." he said.

  When asked why they  were faced with  security problems,  when the head chief of the administrative area is stationed  in their village, Pa Ousman responded by saying, "he only cares for us in  time of elections. He (the chief) calls  for a meeting last week, promising us that this year there will be no credit buying and he said it is from the President's office.  I  know they are making such promises because the elections are  getting nearer. We will let him know that we are not fools, because we know what to do insaallah" he hinted.

  Modou Saine,  a youth from kerr Omar Manneh,  five kilometres away from Kerr Jarga Jobe said " We are not interested in politics and all we are interested in is for the government to buy our nuts on time, so that we can have money and buy something for our families."  When asked what action will  they take when the government  resorts to buying their produce on  credit,  Mr Saine replied " We will just cross the border  and go to Senegal and sell our nuts and get money. It is  as simple as that.'


  Meanwhile, the government, had warned farmers to desist from selling their produce in Senegal. But farmer Modou,  said the regime lacked the moral authority to deny them the right to sell their produce in Senegal, when according to him "the said regime is lacking the necessary funds to purchase their nuts."   He added"How do you expect us to sit and wait for them,  when they have no money to buy our products? We are going to the people who can buy them and we sell them and get money because the Tobaski is coming"

  When quizzed as to whether he will vote in the coming elections,  Mr Modou Saine, who is in his 30s said " Elections are coming, but I'm  not going to vote because all the politicians are all the same. They  will never fulfil their promises to us. Why should I travel to another village to vote?


  At my own village in Kerr Samba Chaji,  the Alkalo of the village,  Wally Sowe said " We are expecting a successful groundnut season this year,  but am not very much sure as the government is fun of making such promises at this time of the year."  When asked  what would they do if their produce  were bought on credit,  the Alkalo retorted " this year is a year of  difference, because everything is going out of hand and we have no money left with us,  so you do not expect us to sell our groundnut  on credit buying."  Mr Sowe went further to say "It is because of the credit buying,  that is why our youths are all now in the Kombos,  looking for greener pasture."

   On the question what needs to be done to stop rural urban drift,  Mr Sowe replied "We have no solution to the problem as at now.  They are all matured men and the only thing we can do is to make sure that hey get married as soon as possible, but yet still many will refused  to marry and once they enter the kombos it  is  very difficult for us to see them.  They time and time  come home,  during occasions and that is not good at all. But I  think if  farming was effective as it used to be,  they will not move an inch"said the village head.

  Our reporter also asked alkalo Sowe, if he was going to vote in the 2006 polls, in response this what the 81 years old Alkalo  had to say" We have to wait and see.... We voted for the APRC, in the  last elections, but we haven't seen anything meaningful to that effect.  We may also try the opposition as well" he concluded.

  This year's  trade season is marred by  short comings, as no company had been accredited to buy groundnut. But  sources have it that 5 companies had applied  to be given  licence to buy groundnut.  Dependable sources say,  one such companies  was The Gambia Agricultural Marketing Company, (GAMCO.)

  It would be recalled that GAMCO was the only company contracted to buy groundnut last year. The company came under strong criticism for its inability to buy farmers produce on time. It was also reported that the firm, lacked funds to market nuts.

  In another developments, the government has announced the price for  groundnut for  this year's trade season. It says it will purchase per metric ton at the sum of   D7500.00. Coupled with lack of jobs and decent salaries for civil servants, the Jammeh government is  also said to be confronted with lack of serious groundnut marketers. Gambia's groundnut sectors started to decline shortly after the government closure of  The Gambia Groundnut Cooperation (GGC). The parent company Alimenta, sued the regime for illegal closure of  its firm and won a  law suit amounting to millions of dollars. The said sum represents loss of earnings and interest suffered  by Alimenta.











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