How Gambian producers gained better access to markets
Image courtesy of USAID
A
collaboration between Haygrove, a UK fruit and flower grower which supplies
major UK supermarkets, the charity
Concern Universal and local groups in Gambia
found that farmers in Gambia were missing out on trade with high value tourist
hotels and restaurants.
Although the businesses were keen to buy high-quality Gambian produce they were
put off by unreliable local supply, inconsistent quality and shortages of
produce during peak periods.
Instead hotels and restaurants were importing from Europe produce that could be
grown locally: potatoes, carrots, onions and more. To make things worse, farmers
working in poor village communities could only sell produce through middlemen
who took a big cut for themselves.
With £197,000 funding from DFID's Business
Linkages Challenge Fund, Fair Trade horticultural company 'Gambian is Good'
was established to start to turn this situation around for the benefit poor
rural Gambian communities.
Getting better: how local producers benefited
Through
this company, Haygrove worked with local subsistence growers in the Gambia to
improve irrigation, grading of harvests, distribution and marketing. Producers
have been given access to good varieties of quality seeds and pesticides and
fertilisers that were not previously available.
New irrigation systems mean that women farmers spend less time collecting water.
Initially 'Gambia is Good' worked with 30 growers but now work with 270, of
which 230 are businesses run by women.
Partner businesses also employ people which gives a further boost to the local
economy. More than 50 tonnes of produce were traded in the first nine months of
2005, and volumes are set to grow, enabling 'Gambia is Good' to develop as a
business well beyond the period of DFID’s grant support.
As demand increases, a wholesale market has opened where other businesses can
purchase quality produce that meet the high standards demanded by their
customers.
Ebrihima Jawara, a 'Gambian is Good' grower from Daru Fodeba village
explains how being part of the fairtrade organisation has helped:
“A lack of technical skills resulting in low yields and marketing through middlemen, who took two-thirds of end prices, made my work difficult and less profitable.
“Gambia is Good is contributing to solving these problems through inputs such as quality seeds and training, enabling me to achieve higher yields, a longer harvest period and good farm gate prices. From the tomato crop I earned D22,500 (US $750) with total input costs of D500 (US $17), which is at least 3 times what I would have got without Gambia is Good.Presently, I have an Irish potato plot in my garden and three nurseries of hybrid cabbage and tomatoes. Now, my dream is to increase my cultivated areas and earn more money".
Gambian
is Good worker wins responsible tourism award (Travel Africa magazine)
Key facts
- Gambian is Good was set up with the aim of providing tangible economic and social benefits to poor rural Gambian communities.
- The project started in June 2003 and will end in June 2006
- In response to market research into the Gambian Fresh Produce market Concern Universal instigated the SMILE (Smallholder Irrigation for Livelihood Enhancement) project which currently supports 50,000 small farmers through low cost irrigation. The Gambian is Good project will link into this network through the demonstration of best practice packing, cool storage and marketing.
