| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
snuggels
960 Posts |
 Posted - 31 Jan 2010 : 05:18:52
|
Whilst on my travels I watch the BBC World News and on occasions they would screen programmes on various problems in countries such as African countries.
One in particular that struck a cord with me was a programme about the plight of Ethiopian small farmers of which there are twenty thousand.
The programme was about an Ethiopia's expat who moved to America many years ago a carved out a highly paid very successful Carree.
But always at the back of her mind was the plight of her fellow countrymen especially the farmers who would get ripped of by the middle men and traders for their produce who then sold on the crops of sesames seeds on the world market getting full value but never giving the farmers the going rates for the crops which left them impoverished.
She decided to go back to Ethiopia with help from fellow county men to help the farmers by setting up a form of cooperative. the sesame seeds are Ethiopia main export
It was very hard work convincing all the farmers to join the cooperative as they thought it was just another rip of but slowly they came across.
What she did was set up 3 Centres/Warehouses where the farmers would take their crop of sesame seeds once the warehouses were full they would transport the seeds to the main trading centre/auction house in Ethiopia where they would get full world market value.
Now everyone is thriving So there is a lesson learnt that you can change things
So is they any Gambians at home or abroad who would take up the challenge of setting up a similar scheme in Gambia for the sale of ground nuts or is everything just fine?
|
|
|
gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 31 Jan 2010 : 10:34:01
|
I was told that Gambian nuts arent good enough quality for the export market these days. Is this true?
Could the nuts be made into something like peanut butter? |
 |
|
|
turk
USA
3356 Posts |
Posted - 31 Jan 2010 : 11:05:27
|
One of my friend was interested in processing nuts and export it to Europe/Turkey. He was telling me that when he considered electricity, machine maintenance costs, transportation costs etc, it would not make sense economically.
Gambia has major disadvantages for industrial production as it does not have infrastructure, skills for serious industry (That is common problem for africa). That is why service industry, tourism and agriculture may be better economic activity. |
diaspora! Too many Chiefs and Very Few Indians.
Halifa Salah: PDOIS is however realistic. It is fully aware that the Gambian voters are yet to reach a level of political consciousness that they rely on to vote on the basis of Principles, policies and programmes and practices. |
Edited by - turk on 31 Jan 2010 11:06:32 |
|
|
|
sab
United Kingdom
912 Posts |
Posted - 31 Jan 2010 : 13:43:09
|
Bev, r u referring to a previous posting on bantaba which tells us about peanuts being kept until they are mouldy and the likelyhood of them being contaminated with aflatoxin.
ARE WE POISONING OURSELVES? Health and Nutrition April 2007 - Momodou
Is your ex brother in law still involved in the peanut trade?
I had been meaning to search out the above posting as I know of three persons in the past ten days to have passed away with pains in the liver area & wanted to check out this posting for other information.
Also, see how snuggles travelled the world but thinking about how The Gambia could promote themselves.
|
The world would be a poorer place if it was peopled by children whose parents risked nothing in the cause of social justice, for fear of personal loss. (Joe Slovo - African revolutionary) |
Edited by - sab on 31 Jan 2010 14:26:43 |
|
|
|
jambo
3300 Posts |
Posted - 31 Jan 2010 : 15:34:10
|
i agree with Turk, the costs of exporting from Gambia can be off putting, i looked into exporting the honey, the cost of getting the honey to market in this case easter europe was just not worth it.
If I could trade on the african continent it would help but try to get goods from west to east or even south of the continent is impossible.
costs, goods from source, transportation to source, middlemen to pay along the way too high, too many obstacles for little return.
I am sure there will be a way to do it, but still needs a long way to go.
For me the issues are communication, internet, electricity, roads etc.
|
|
|
|
gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 31 Jan 2010 : 19:39:50
|
Gosh Sab, what a good memory you have.
Yes my EX brother in law is getting very rich in Holland as a peanut trader. |
|
|
|
gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 31 Jan 2010 : 19:42:11
|
I am so sorry to hear of the deaths of your friends.
Has the cause of death been investigated? |
|
|
|
snuggels
960 Posts |
Posted - 01 Feb 2010 : 10:48:54
|
I thought that gundnuts
were a major export for Gambia If so my question in my original posting still apllies if not then ignore there tred |
|
|
|
sab
United Kingdom
912 Posts |
|
|
snuggels
960 Posts |
Posted - 24 Feb 2010 : 22:23:12
|
So this looks like a non starter. Sad realy as the Ethiopian senario shows what can be done to the benifit of local farmers and the counties economy
But I supose typical Gambia. OK sugestion, that this is put forward by a gambian at home or abroard to the relavent department or thier local Gambian minister and see where it leads. Quoteing the Ethiopian model. |
|
|
|
snuggels
960 Posts |
Posted - 13 Mar 2010 : 00:42:46
|
| So it looks like no takers is this the usual Gambian apathy or other reasons. The Ethiopian senario shows just what can be achived even by a lay person even in a country that also is currupt |
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
Topic Locked
