URR farmers trained on cotton production

 Wednesday, June 30, 2010

The Community Driven Development Association (CDDP) in collaboration with the URR Cotton Growers Association recently held two-day training workshop for cotton growers on cotton production at Hela Kunda Village, Jimara district, in Basse, Upper River Region (URR).

The workshop which brought together 50 participants across URR was aimed at improving cotton production in the region and also convince them to grow more cotton. The training also exposed participants to some relevant mechanisms that can be used to harness and improve cotton productivity, ranging from sowing, fertilizer application, spraying and weeding among others. The workshop also created a concrete platform for participants to simply discuss a comprehensive way forward in cotton production in URR and beyond.

Speaking at the occasion, Omar S Ceesay, the chairman of Basse Area Council who is also the secretary general of Cotton Growers Association, intimated that the training will create greater avenues for farmers to engage in cotton cultivation. He added that cotton production has lately become a very enterprising business and therfore encouraged farmers to shift back to its cultivation.

He outlined government's resolve in empowering farmers and called for the private sector to enter into partnership with government in improving cotton production in the country. Ceesay urged participants to make best use of the training by disseminating the knowledge gained to their fellow cotton growers who were not accorded the opportunity to attend the training.  He thanked CDDP for their efforts. For his part, Alhagie Abubacarr Camara, who spoke on behalf of the chief of Jimara District, highlighted the significance of cotton production. He urged cotton growers to renew their sense of commitment in cotton production and argued that human beings can hardly live without cotton.
 
He therefore called on government to support them in the struggle and thanked CDDP for their concern. Alhagie Momadou Krubally, the alkalo of Hela Kunda Village, thanked CDDP for sponsoring the workshop. He urged farmers to be patient in cotton cultivation and called for government’s support to transform cotton production into a more profitable enterprise in The Gambia.

Author: by Bekai Njie in URR

Source: The Daily Observer