By Ramatoulie Jawo
The West Africa Competitiveness Programme (WACOMP) – The Gambia has recently trained 20 journalists on the horticulture value-chain and quality infrastructure system in The Gambia.
The training lasted from the 2nd and 3rd March 2022 at a local hotel in Kololi has enabled participants to acquire basic knowledge of The Gambia’s quality infrastructure, the onion and horticulture value-chains and WACOMP’s planned interventions in increasing the country’s competitiveness.
“The media has a big role to play in the development of the country’s horticulture and quality infrastructure system. Journalists are our valuable partners and the training is timely as it has better equipped them to effectively report on the sector for positive societal change,” said Mr. Joseph Ndenn, National Technical Coordinator, WACOMP-GM.
He urged participants to increase their focus on those underreported sectors by producing in-depth human interest stories that would make differences for the value chain actors.
One of the participants, Ebrima Bah, a reporter at the Gambia Radio and Television Services (GRTS), said the training came at a better time and it exposed him to fact-based reporting on horticulture and quality infrastructure.
“Knowing how to report on these subjects has enabled us to produce stories that will have a great impact on the lives and livelihoods of vegetable farmers,” he said. “We now have the adequate capacity to take on value chain actors and policy makers with a view to adequately addressing the challenges confronting the sector.”
Funded by the European Union (EU), The Gambia component of the WACOMP project is increasing The Gambia’s competitiveness through enhanced quality compliance along the onion value chain by improving the performance, growth and contribution to industry, regional trade and exports of onion and other horticulture value chains.
WACOMP, The Gambia is implemented by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and United Purpose (UP) in partnership with the Government of The Gambia.
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