Food riots in Haiti, Senegal, Phillipines e.t.c. Is Gambia next? Why is the Gambia, which is predominantly an agricultural nation, importing rice from other countries? Could one reason be because our regimes have neglected to provide rice farmers with technological programs to increase rice yields? Your thoughts...
Justice must be served as impunity brings more repression and corruption!
That is true, but also when the last gambian government took out loans from the develope countries, part of the deal was for the gambia nation to produce certain cash crops stipulated by the lending country. That kind of deals not only affected the gambia but other developing nations through out the world. India whose rice is much cheaper than taiwan was the one recommended by world food organisation to produce for many of the poorer countries. some of course imported from taiwan. However, recently india cannot cope and there are shortages within india and as a result, the indian government put a cap on exports in order to feed it's own people. it is this cap on export which hypened rice prices. Nevertheless, you are right to a certain extend. The gambian government should invest in infrastructure for large scale production. a greater degree of diversification is required to ensure the indigenous population do not suffer.
Tamsier
Serere heritage. Serere religion. Serere to the end.
Tamsier, you are right - when you say the Gambian government (of old) was paid subsidy for other crops and hence the growing of rice went down in the country. In the meantime, other areas of the world were given subsidies by the World Bank to grow rice. But global conditions are now making it increasingly different for these countries to export like they have been doing. Inez mentioned (in her other postings) that rising oil prices have also become part of the equation. This is also true. This leaves a series of problems - no subsidy to grow rice in The Gambia - no infrastructure (any more) to grow enough rice internally to feed everyone. Gambia will - therefore - still rely on imports - and the prices are rising.
If we, on Bantaba, can see the looming crisis then I am sure Mr Jammeh is also aware.
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Posted - 25 Apr 2008 : 04:06:57
