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The World Bank has approved $68 million in additional financing for The Gambia Inclusive and Resilient Agricultural Value Chain Development (GIRAV) project. Of the funds, $10 million is being backed by the Crisis Response Window from the International Development Association.
The project will promote the development of inclusive, resilient and competitive agricultural value chains in the country. With a focus on smallholder farmers and agribusiness, the project will also address food security by improving water and land availability to foster climate resilient agriculture.
“This funding boost for GIRAV will address various critical needs: replenishing diverted resources, tackling food crises with climate-smart solutions, enhancing rural infrastructure for resilience and advancing land administration, particularly for female farmers,” stated World Bank Agricultural Economist Aifa Fatimata Ndoye Niane.
The additional financing will increase the number of beneficiaries in The Gambia’s agriculture sector from 100,000 to 200,000 farmers.
“This project will fully support the Gambian government’s vision and objectives for the agricultural sector,” stated World Bank Resident Representative Feyi Boroffice. “Through capacity building, training programs and access to financial resources, GIRAV aims to empower marginalized groups and promote gender equality within the agricultural sector.”
In addition to water access and improved sanitation, the GIRAV project will also mobilize technologies and innovations to boost the transition from subsistence to commercial-oriented agriculture in The Gambia.