As part of efforts to document and showcase the impact of the ROOTS Project’s Dry Season Rice Production Support Programme, a joint team from the ROOTS Project and Gambia Radio and Television Services (GRTS) on 15th June 2026 commenced a nationwide media field visit to project-supported rice production sites across the country.
The first day of the visit took the team to the Jahally and Pacharr Perimeters in the Central River Region, where farmers shared firsthand accounts of how the ROOTS subsidized input support has transformed their rice production and livelihoods.
Speaking during the visit, Haruna Gassama, President of the Jahally-Pacharr Rice Farmers Association, highlighted the significance of the support package, which includes land preparation services, certified seeds, fertilizers, and herbicides.
“The benefits of our collaboration with ROOTS cannot be overemphasized. Through the ROOTS Subsidized Input Support Programme, we were able to purchase four tractors. The combine harvester you see operating today was also provided through ROOTS support. This rice field is our livelihood. It enables us to feed our families, clothe our children, and pay school expenses,” he stated.
Several farmers, including Fatou Manneh, echoed similar sentiments, noting that before the intervention they faced significant challenges in accessing tractor services, often travelling to neighbouring villages and even across the border to Casamance, Senegal, in search of service providers.
The visit also provided an opportunity to witness the ongoing rice harvest and observe the positive impact of mechanization and improved agricultural inputs on productivity within the scheme.
From Jahally and Pacharr, the team proceeded to Sapu, where they visited the National Seed Secretariat (NSS) and the National Agricultural Research Institute (NARI). The team toured foundation seed production plots and breeder seed multiplication fields, learning about ongoing efforts to develop and multiply improved rice varieties that will contribute to increased productivity, climate resilience, and national food security.
The media field visit aims to document success stories, capture beneficiary testimonies, and highlight the achievements and impact of the ROOTS Project’s interventions in strengthening food security, improving rural livelihoods, and promoting agricultural transformation across The Gambia.