With a keen interest in the government's determination to create 150,000 jobs in five years, the agricultural sector is one of the largest sectors identified as the fastest and most likely to create jobs in The Gambia.<\/p>\n
In an exclusive interview with Abdoulie M. Touray (also known as Baks Touray), the chairman of the National Technical Employment Committee (NETC) stated that the 150,000 jobs that will be created in five years is realistic, while revealing that \"the biggest opportunity we have is in agriculture, not in subsistence agriculture, but in seeing agriculture as a business.\"<\/p>\n
Seeing agriculture as a business, he explained: It has three dimensions including mechanization, irrigation system and value chain approach. This is looking at production and productivity, processing, preservation, storage and marketing, that's what's required.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, he said that the country is, in general, blessed with the Gambia River and that it is necessary to change the dynamics not depending only on rain for continuous productivity, noting according to the information: Gambia has more than 440,000 hectares of arable land that is not cultivated. And according to statistics, 1 hectare of arable agricultural land can employ 10 people if it is not mechanized, and if it is mechanized, it will employ 5 people. Arithmetically, take the 10% 440,000 hectares will give 4,000 hectares and multiply by 5 jobs if it is watered automatically, we are talking about 20,000 jobs and so on.<\/p>\n
Defending the possibility of creating even more 150,000 jobs, the NETC president went on to say that, with the government's current economic tour, he cited Muhammed Sanyang-owned G Farm, a visible example, saying the farm started with 500 chickens and becomes a poultry farm. Currently, \"it has 120,000 hens, produces 100,000 eggs every month and now diversifies towards livestock production, while everything that is done on the farm is fully automated. Can you imagine the impact if this can be replicated in different districts or regions of the country?\" he added, citing more examples of the Raddles farm, which produces a variety of products; Mauro farm is dedicated to the cultivation of rice with rice of much higher quality than imported, and Swami India with its abundant plantation of bananas.<\/p>\n
The Gambia has many possibilities and opportunities: \"It's just about creating the environment and getting people to seize the opportunity, especially those who don't work,\" he lamented.<\/p>\n
On finance, he said the missing link in the country that entrepreneurs always complain about is access to finance.<\/p>\n
In Gambia, there are several banks available, but they are all commercial banks. To accelerate development, we need investment banks, development banks, specialized banks, leasing companies, capital banks, etc. Although financial banking is in development, but still at the micro level. With finance, investment and development banks, entrepreneurs will be able to access financing while the interest rate will also fall,\" he explained how development in the country could be accelerated.<\/p>\n
However, it focused on the working-age population, the employment status of the working population, the labour force participation rate (LFPR) and the unemployment rate.<\/p>\n
The working-age population, he explained according to the GBOS, \"is defined as the population of 15 years or older, and is composed of 48.2% of men and a 51.8% of women, living mainly in urban areas (61.5 per cent)%). The state of the working-age population in the labour force is that, on average, four out of ten working-age people are active in the labour market (43.6%), whether working or unemployed. Population outside the labour force (56.4%) is composed only of persons studying (23,4%), subsistence farmers (9,4%) or people in other situations such as elderly, disabled, discouraged jobseekers (23.6%).<\/p>\n
As is usually observed, he noted according to the GBOS survey: The labor force participation rate (LFPR) is higher for men (47.9%) that for women (39.6%) in each age group. The profile by age group shows that young people enter the labour market later due to longer education. Participation peaks at maximum exercise ages (35-59 years), around 60 percent, and then declines at retirement age. As for the place of residence, the LFRP is much higher in urban than rural areas (62.6% and 37.4% According to him, the survey indicated that the \"unemployment rate stands at 7.6 per cent\".%\u00bb.<\/p>\n