His Excellency President Adama Barrow on Friday 14yh August, paid a working visit to the ROOTS Project Land Development Site in Genieri, Kiang East District, Lower River Region (LRR), where remarkable progress has been achieved under the ongoing land development programme.
Accompanied by Honourable Dr. Demba Sabally, Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Security, as well as senior government officials and dignitaries, the President toured the site to witness firsthand the progress of cascaded dykes and micro-catchment irrigation works. These interventions are designed to boost rice production, strengthen climate resilience, and improve the livelihoods of smallholder farming communities.
The Genieri site spans 30.36 hectares and has reached 95 percent completion. Infrastructure highlights include 2.643 km of dykes, a 942-metre access road, a primary spillway, seven secondary spillways, and a culvert gate. While the road, spillways, culvert gate, and dykes have all been completed, rip-rap protection currently stands at 75 percent.
This development is expected to directly benefit 244 people 195 women and 49 men from a community of 630 residents across 77 households.
The Genieri intervention forms part of Lot 1 of the ROOTS Land Development Works, which covers eight sites across the Lower River, West Coast, and North Bank Regions, with a combined area of 388 hectares.
President Barrow’s visit underscores the Government of The Gambia’s commitment to transforming agriculture through investment in climate-resilient infrastructure, increased productivity, and improved livelihoods for rural communities particularly women and smallholder farmers.
