Training Centre Initiates Tree-Planting Campaigns

After some years working as a geology assistant, Badara Jobe returned to his native village of Njawara in the North Bank of the Gambia to become a farmer. His first-hand experience of farming during the climate changes currently affecting the North Bank encouraged Badara to establish the Njawara Agricultural Training Centre to teach environmental farming techniques to farmers.

Climate change poses serious challenges in all of the Gambia's rural and coastal areas, as unpredictable rainfall affects crop production. Deforestation has led to wind erosion, resulting in a significant loss of topsoil, and to a rise in pest infestation and salt intrusion from the Gambia River.

Contributing To Change: Born and raised in Njawara, Badara knows how difficult it is for farmers to survive in the area north of the Gambia River. Moving to an urban centre to finish his schooling, he began working as a geology assistant. However, during his time in the urban area he witnessed from afar his community's increasingly bleak situation as they struggled to produce adequate crops. In 1985, Badara returned home to the family farm, hoping to be able to employ his geological expertise together with his knowledge of environmental farming to make a sustainable living.

"When I first returned to Njawara, things were very difficult, both for myself and the rest of the community. I took a risk becoming a farmer, but I wanted to return home and help make changes which the whole community could benefit from," says Badara.

Njawara Agricultural Training Centre: The local community organisation set up by Badara and his neighbours in 1990 has organised massive tree-planting campaigns. Agro-forestry projects initiated by their Njawara Agricultural Training Centre (NATC) have included tree planting for fencing, windbreaks, food for animals, as well as woodlots for more sustainable fuel production within communities. Construction of large dykes and bunds to prevent salt intrusion have resulted in more fertile soils and increased production yields.

A cornerstone of the NATC educational programme is making farmers aware of methods to combat climate change. Environmental responsibility is incorporated into all aspects of the training and is linked to alternative farming methods designed to improve food production at the same time as promoting good natural resource management.

Reversing Climate Change: According to Badara, the community is aware of the benefits of environmentally sustainable production methods: "Where tree plantations have been protected and maintained, communities and villages have reported improved crop production and higher yields, with less destruction by pests.

Many areas also report that salt intrusion has ceased, whereas areas that have not benefited from tree planting have seen poorer crop yields and more unpredictable rainfall."

Successful agricultural production is now widespread throughout the North Bank with Njawara becoming an important production, training and information centre. Youth training has reduced migration to urban areas, keeping family units together because young adults now feel they can make a sustainable livelihood within the agricultural sector.

"Climate change is affecting a large part of the country," says Badara. "On the positive side, however, we have proven that by means of communityled projects with multiple phases of action, the negative impacts of climate change can be reversed with short, medium and long-term benefits. We encourage everyone to incorporate climate change activities into their daily lives. The people who have done this are experiencing the benefits."

Badara has been honoured for his work as a social entrepreneur developing farmer-to-farmer methods of spreading knowledge of sustainable agricultural techniques that enable the farmers of the Gambia to confront the challenges of climate change. So far he has worked directly with over 500 farmers in 150 villages and his efforts have already reversed decades of environmental degradation.

Read more about NATC and Concern Universal.