Agriculture and Natural Resources (ANR) Policy (2009 – 2015)

The Agriculture and Natural Resources (ANR) Policy is a national cross-sectoral policy of the Republic of the Gambia for the period of 2009-2015. Its main objectives include improved and sustainable measurable levels of food and nutrition security in the country in general and vulnerable populations in particular; a commercialized ANR sector ensuring measurable competitive, efficient, and sustainable food and agricultural value chains, and linkages to markets; institutions (public and private) in the sector strengthened, and providing needed services, strong and enabling environment, and reducing vulnerability in food and nutrition security; and sustainable effective management of the natural resource base of the sector.
In the area of food security, the Policy provides for constant monitoring of, and advocacy for availability of, accessibility to supplies and sufficient consumption of safe and nutritious major staple foods; increasing food production and meeting national sufficiency; supporting and promoting availability of safer, healthier and more varied foods involving crops, meat and sea food. The Policy also plans to mainstream gender equity in all programmes and projects of the ANR sector, ensuring recognition of the roles and comparative advantages of women access to essential resources and provision of support appropriate to their needs in their various vocations in the ANR sector.
Further, for the environmental protection, the document provides for a country wide awareness of environmental degradation, and mainstreaming of all environmental considerations in the planning and implementation of all activities in all segments of the value chains of the food and cash commodities of the ANR Sector.
Moreover, the document aims to reduce rural poverty. In particular, it provides for a vibrant and sustainable agribusiness with active participation of women and youth; agribusiness developing in effectiveness, and creating opportunities for increased income, employment and food security for rural people, particularly vulnerable populations; a revitalized strong and effective Cooperative Movement; vibrant networks and alliances of farmers and producer groups effectively advocating for pro-poor macro-economic policies; and access to the services of special institutions for rural finance, business skills and technology transfer.
For agricultural development, the document provides for the following measures: sustainable increased production and productivity of livestock; ensuring that wood and non-wood forest products meet national requirements; visible and measurable reduction of land and soil degradation, from participatory application and monitoring of appropriate land use and soil management best practices, especially by small and medium producers, agro-processing and agro-industrial enterprises in the ANR sector; promoting irrigation schemes that are affordable to users, particularly small holders, primarily for high value crops; providing year-round water supplies; a special initiative ensuring widespread awareness and adoption of mechanized farming; participation of grassroots organizations in, and use of mechanization in the value chains (production, post production handling, agro-processing and agro-industries) to raise productivity increased outputs, incomes of small producers and agents in the ANR sector; adopting a participatory approach (public/private partnerships) to provide enabling support, and facilitating the availability and use of market structures for agricultural purposes, particularly for small to medium enterprises; directing research services to ensure widespread use of improved diversified and affordable varieties of quality genetic materials of food and cash crops; appropriate systems and establishing mechanisms, providing financial services to all categories of farm enterprises with particular focus on small to medium holdings, women and youth; and promoting a sustainable enabling environment to create and take advantage of opportunities in trade for ANR sector commodities, with particular emphasis on small and medium producers.
Moreover, the document also covers the areas of climate change and disaster management. Specifically, it notes that mechanisms will be in place in the ANR Sector ensuring agricultural activities in the country do not contribute to climate change. Also, according to the Policy, by 2015, outbreaks of major pests and diseases in staple food and high value market crops would have been reduced to below thresholds (in quantity and time), surveyed on periodic basis as set by the Government, and within the guidelines by the International Plant Protection Convention.
The Ministries of Agriculture, Forestry and Environment, Fisheries and Water Resources through the ANR Working Group at the National Environment Agency will have oversight responsibility for coordinating the implementation process, and will perform this function through arrangements to be established at national level for inter-ministerial and other stakeholders coordination through to the regions in the country. Clear roles have been specified for the various key stakeholders in the ANR sector, including government, private sector, farmers organizations, CSOs, and development partners. The ANR Working Group of the National Environment Agency chaired by Ministry of Agriculture will provide overall policy direction and guidance for planning, monitoring and evaluation of the sector and policy.