Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL) – The National Assembly Committee on Agriculture has recently embarked on a nationwide fact-finding mission to agricultural marketing societies (SECCOS) following concerns raised about the 2023/24 groundnut trade season. The mission began April 30th and ended May 6th. It aimed to address a D32 million shortfall identified in various SECCOS, as disclosed by the National Food Security Processing and Marketing Corporation (NFSPMC).

The Select Committee took the opportunity to conduct oversight by engaging with farmers, SECCOS representatives, and NFSPMC officials to understand the implementation of the seasonal groundnut purchase programme and identify potential areas for improvement. Follow-up interviews with SECCOS officials, farmers, and other stakeholders will be conducted to determine the root causes of the shortfall and propose solutions.

Committee Chair Hon. Omar Darboe stressed the importance of the investigation in ensuring transparency and accountability in the government’s groundnut purchasing programme. He highlighted that the findings and recommendations will lead to improvements benefiting both farmers and the overall success of the groundnut sector.

The parliament’s initiative also aimed to foster open dialogue between policymakers and the agricultural workforce.

Farmers have expressed their hopes for better resources, farm modernization, and a brighter future for their children. The Committee’s objective extends beyond addressing the current shortfall to building a more transparent and accountable agricultural marketing system.

The Committee is committed to addressing any issues identified during the fact-finding mission and working towards a smooth and efficient 2023/24 groundnut trade season.