At solely 24 years of age, Alhadgie Faal has constructed a profitable small enterprise, by turning household land in Kanuma, which is in Gambia’s North Financial institution area, into a large plot, the place he grows fruit and greens to promote to eating places and lodges.
He began his firm after receiving coaching from a UN Capital Growth Fund (UNCDF) programme[DD1] , centered on supporting girls and youth, significantly in rural areas.
“Earlier than I began this enterprise, I used to be a carpenter, however agriculture was at all times my ardour. With out agriculture we will’t feed the nation, and I had a dream to produce The Gambia with wholesome produce.
About 4 years in the past, my stepfather instructed me that free UN coaching in agriculture, horticulture, and meals processing was accessible. He utilized for me, and I used to be accepted.
UN Information/ Conor Lennon
Gambian fruit and vegetable backyard run by Alhadgie Faal and his brother.
Planting the seeds of a enterprise
I used to be actually pleased, as a result of we’re a farming household with little cash, and I might not have been capable of afford charges and transport. However all of those bills have been included within the provide, so I used to be capable of go to the faculty.
The coaching was extraordinarily helpful. We discovered about agronomics, the right way to handle crops, when to plant, and the right way to choose the appropriate web site.
As soon as I graduated, I acquired the concept to start out my very own fruit and vegetable enterprise. My stepmother owned some land, and he or she allowed me and my brother to make use of it. The land was all bush again then, so my brother and I cleared it to create a backyard.
Firstly, I confronted many challenges. Any time we planted or sowed seeds, rodents would come and destroy every little thing. We additionally had to deal with termites, pests, and illnesses.
Finally we overcame these issues. At this time, we shield the crops with netting to guard them from rodents, and we cowl them with plastic for 3 to 4 days to generate warmth, which suppresses the termites.
UN Information/ Conor Lennon
Gambian fruit and vegetable entrepreneur, Alhadgie Faal
From peppers to papayas
We develop many alternative crops right here. We now have inexperienced bell peppers, scorching yellow peppers, papayas, and strawberries.
We now have been profitable in promoting our fruit within the Banjul area. We’re supplying eating places, lodges, and a few personal individuals.
Many individuals like our produce as a result of it’s very tasty. Our strawberries are giant and candy, and all of our fruit and greens are natural. That is very important, as a result of chemical substances will not be good for human well being or the atmosphere.
Beginning an agriculture enterprise in The Gambia could be very arduous. You need to be affected person, otherwise you received’t succeed. Transport is an issue, and growth could be very difficult, as a result of it’s arduous to get entry to grants and loans. Funding is an enormous situation, particularly for younger farmers.
My recommendation for anybody who desires to be an entrepreneur is to give attention to agriculture, in order that we will keep away from importing from our neighbouring international locations. We now have the land, and we will get water from the river. We now have every little thing we have to survive.
I would really like Gambians to eat Gambian strawberries. Individuals have the misunderstanding that we don’t develop the fruit right here, and that’s what motivates me to succeed.”
