Some facts... and gardening in The Gambia

The Gambia is one of the smallest among the countries in Africa. It also ranks 168 out of 182 countries (UNDP Human Development Index, 2009) being one of the poorest country in the world. Per capita income is estimated to be about USD 556 in 2009. More than 60 percent of rural population and 57 percent of urban population live in poverty. Even though the economic growth was recorded between the years of 2004 and 2009 at approximately 5-6 percent annually larger portion of the population is still very poor.

I learned that PC service in The Gambia is one of the most challenging. However, there have been very few yearly service terminations and more than average service extension for the third year.

The climate of the Gambia is considered semi arid-tropical with a short rainy season from June to October. The start and end of rainy season varies with each year. The effects of climate change are evident. During the rainy season the country changes its face: everything is growing and blooming - green color everywhere. I am still to see this change. The yearly rainfall varies from 500 mm (east) to 900 mm (west). Most of the roads in the country are dirt/sand roads and it becomes very difficult (sometimes impossible) to drive on them. Currently, during the dry season, the vegetation is dry and sparse. Sand and dust is everywhere. I have not seen a drip of water from the sky in any form or shape for three months now. It feels unusual to see same weather each day. 

The main farming occurs during the rainy months. Rice, millet/coos, sorghum and maze are the main crops of the Gambia. However, gardening is done year round. The most common vegetables grown here are: tomatoes, bitter tomatoes (which is really bitter and I am slowly trying to acquire its taste), eggplant, cucumbers, lettuce, bell peppers, sorrel, cabbage, onions and okra. There are some other greens grown that local people use in the sauces, but I do not remember the English name for them. Those are the main vegetables one can find in the local market (depending on the season). The main export product is the groundnut (peanuts) accounting for about 60 percent of all exports and during last decades it has been shrinking. Another opportunity for the country is to grow and export cashews. Cashews are more expensive and could provide the families with larger incomes and help rise from poverty. The cashews were pushed in the Gambia for many years now, but this opportunity has not been grasped by many local people. There are many factors and grounds to reason that, but the main few are lack of education, knowledge, resistance to change and lack of long term planning. We have several Peace Corps volunteers who are actively promoting cashews and helping families in rural areas to establish cashew orchards.

Gardening is mostly done by the women. Some of the women have gardens within the compounds and some - in the community garden space. Sometimes the landowner rents a piece of land for women to garden and then suddenly he/she reclaims the land and women are left with nothing. Interestingly if one plants trees on the piece of land, that land becomes his/her property. Building the fence around the garden is a must, because the animals (goats, sheep, chickens, donkeys, and cows) browse around freely looking for food. Only in rainy season they might be tied down. It is not common to see the animals in the city, next to bank, by the road, crossing the road. We nearly hit few cows and donkeys on our trip through the country. They are dangerous! Back to gardening…I have so much to tell and getting off topic is so easy. Most of the vegetables grown in the garden are sold in the market. You would think that some different vegetables would be grown for personal consumption…That is not a case here – f.e all the garden can be planted with sorrel, salad, and/or tomatoes and nothing else, which is unfortunate. Women work very hard in the gardens. Usually they water the plants in the morning and evening and attend them during the day or after watering. I have gone with my training village family to water the plants several times – watering is hard (a koleyata!J). The water is drawn from the well with a bucket and rope then it is carried to the beds. Again and again… Sometimes the wells go dry and one has to dig another well or share the neighbors, which is further away. Many gardens become abandoned because the wells go dry after some time. Women here take very good care of the gardens - they are their source of income. I am still to explore and see the community gardens in my village.