Agriculture, News

Gambian Farmers To Benefit From $9.4M Climate-Resilient Rice Project

Farmers in The Gambia are among thousands across 13 West African countries set to benefit from a $9.44 million grant aimed at strengthening the region’s rice value chains against the growing threat of climate change.

The funding, approved by the African Development Fund (ADF) on 17 July, will be channelled through the Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice) under a regional project known as REWARD-Adaptation.

The initiative is part of the wider Regional Resilient Rice Value Chains Development Project in West Africa (REWARD), supported by the concessional arm of the African Development Bank Group through its Climate Action Window.

In The Gambia, where rice is a staple but much of it is imported, the project could help local farmers shift the balance. It will focus on scaling up climate-smart farming and processing methods to improve food security, cut greenhouse gas emissions, and support rural livelihoods.

“The strategy for this project is to reduce the vulnerability and strengthen the resilience of rice value chains, from production to processing and marketing, while lowering greenhouse gas emissions through the dissemination and adoption of climate-smart practices and technologies,” said Marwan Ladki, Senior Irrigation Engineer at the African Development Bank and project lead.

Across the region, the project will provide climate-resilient rice seeds to 11,000 farmers 45% of them women and 60% youth. It also aims to train 12,600 farmers and processors in improved agricultural techniques and sustainable post-harvest handling.

In The Gambia, smallholder rice farmers particularly those in CRR, URR, and LRR could benefit directly from access to improved seeds and modern processing tools. The project will also support 65 small and medium-sized agribusinesses across participating countries with equipment and links to broader markets.

Information will be key. Through digital platforms and community radio broadcasts, climate forecasts and early warning messages are expected to reach up to 2 million people. Each participating country will also receive four new automatic weather stations to improve climate data collection and accuracy potentially strengthening national preparedness for extreme weather events.

Importantly, the initiative is expected to create 47,000 jobs across the region, including 8,000 permanent roles and 39,000 seasonal positions, many of which are anticipated to benefit youth and women in rural communities.

For Gambian rice farmers, many of whom still rely on traditional rain-fed systems vulnerable to erratic weather patterns, the REWARD-Adaptation project could mark a shift toward more stable, climate-resilient production.

As climate change continues to disrupt rainfall and increase the frequency of droughts and floods, efforts like this could play a key role in safeguarding local food systems and reducing dependency on rice imports.

The Gambia joins Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo in the regional effort.

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