The Project for Strengthening Resilience to Food and Nutrition Insecurity in the Sahel (P2-P2RS) has handed over nineteen (19) motorbikes to the Department of Agricultural Services (DoA) and Department of Livestock Services (DLS) for onward deliveries to Agriculture and livestock extension workers.
The ceremony, held at the offices of the Central Project Coordinating Unit (CPCU) on Wednesday, January 15th, 2025, attracted senior officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural Services, Department of Livestock Services, CPU, and P2P2RS, among others.
In his handing-over remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Mod AK Secka, disclosed that the donation of the nineteen (19) motorbikes renews the Government’s commitment to strengthening agricultural and livestock extension delivery services to farmers. He noted that the donation will also equip the extension workers with the required tools, resources, and a safe working environment to adequately and efficiently carry out their duties in communities.
PS Mod AK. Secka adduced that the new motorbikes come with their associated safety gear (Helmer, Riding Boots, Riding Jacket, and Gloves) that will also be handed over to the nineteen attached extension workers (11 from the Department of Agriculture and eight from the Department of Livestock Services), adding that this move also showcases the commitment of the Ministry of Agriculture through the Department of Agriculture (DoA) and the Department of Livestock Services (DLS) to strengthen monitoring and proper coordination of the P2 P2RS Project activities in the intervention districts.
PS Secka hinted that the extension workers serve as the focal points between the Ministry of Agriculture and the farmers, adding that equipping them with motorbikes will strengthen knowledge dissemination and improve the extension response time of challenges encountered by the project beneficiaries.
“The handover of motorbikes to extension workers is a significant step towards strengthening agricultural resilience and improving food security in the Sahel region. The commitment and support from the P2-P2RS project and funding partners like the African Development Bank are key in advancing agricultural development and empowering smallholder farmers,” said Mustapha Drammeh, Deputy Director General of the Department of Agriculture.
He added, “With increased mobility and resources, extension workers are poised to positively impact agricultural productivity and contribute to the sector’s overall growth.”
The Deputy Director General of the Department of Agriculture emphasized the need for extension workers to use the provided resources efficiently, urging them to be more committed and dedicated to their work as the Government strikes to provide their needs.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Abdou Ceesay, Director General of the Department of Livestock Services, highlighted the crucial role of mobility in extension service delivery and expressed gratitude for P2-P2RS’s support in overcoming challenges in the livestock sector.
The Project Coordinator of the Central Project Coordinating Unit, Abdoulie Touray, commended the collaborative efforts of various projects and urged extension workers to prioritize project activities. “Projects have been providing support in terms of mobility to enhance the movement of extension workers,” he stated, emphasizing the importance of effectively utilizing the resources.
Ansumana Njie, Operations Director of the P2 P2RS Project, asserted that the handing over of the motorbikes to nineteen extension service workers is both historic and symbolic. It witnesses yet another important event that the P2 P2RS is conducting in the country. The event is historic as it marks the second phase of the project and the second time the project is providing means to facilitate extension delivery services through motorbikes to the project’s extension workers.
P2 P2rs Operations Director explained that the project is a regional program in the country that is currently implementing its 2 phase of the project, which is expected to last for 5years, adding that the project is being financed by the African Development Bank (AfDB) geared towards contributing to food and nutritional security and focusing mainly two major value chains which are the crops and the livestock sector.
He added that the specific objective of the P2 P2RS Project is to contribute to improving the country’s food and nutritional security. He noted that during the five-year implementation period, the project is committed to providing support that will enhance delivery services by empowering the extension workers.
Njie concluded that the P2 P2RS project is here to support smallholder farmers against climate vulnerability.
