The ROOTS Project under the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Security today kicked off a two-day convergence with its Implementing Partners (IPs) at the Kairaba Hotel to review, discuss, and agree on priority interventions for the 2026 Annual Workplan and Budget.
In her opening remarks, Fatou Jammeh-Touray, Deputy Permanent Secretary for Projects and Programs at the Ministry, commended the ROOTS Project for the initiative, describing it as a critical step toward ensuring alignment and collaboration in the sector.
“This is the starting point — gathering key partners to plan and implement together. That’s the best way to achieve successful project outcomes,” she said. DPS Touray further applauded ROOTS for its remarkable achievements and continued commitment to the Ministry’s overarching goal of attaining national food self-sufficiency. She encouraged participants to be strategic and realistic in setting priorities, emphasizing the need to focus on impactful and achievable activities.
Speaking earlier, Mamour Alieu Jagne, Project Director of ROOTS, thanked all partners for making time out of their busy schedules to attend the convergence. He highlighted that the activity forms part of ROOTS’ annual bottom-up planning process, which ensures inclusivity and ownership among partners.
Mr. Jagne urged participants to keep three key considerations in mind during the discussions : the limited time left before the project closes, the financial resource constraints, and the importance of completing outstanding targets before introducing new activities.
The two-day convergence brings together ROOTS’ key implementing partners to ensure effective coordination, prioritization, and alignment of actions as the project enters its final implementation phase.