Mr. Bakary B. Darboe, manager of the Mballit (Waste) Project, has hailed Mayor Bensouda in colourful words, describing his leadership at the Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC) not only as good but “visionary”.
Mr. Bakary B. Darboe spoke about the compost plant project at the Bakau Women’s Garden, expressing how it will be a game-changer for the women gardeners at that place and perhaps beyond.
Funded by the European Union and implemented by the mayor’s office, in collaboration with the Mbolo Foundation, the compost plant project is part of the broader Zero-Waste Project.
Meanwhile, as manager of the Mballit Project, Mr. Darboe oversees technical operations and fleet management for the municipality’s waste collection trucks.
As he disclosed, the compost plant is powered by solar and turns waste from the markets and the Bakoteh Dumpsite into organic fertiliser for the women gardeners.
Noting the importance of the project, Mr. Darboe lauded the mayor’s foresight and vision. “We are all aware of how our soil fertility is degrading. The farmers are crying. It is expensive to get the chemical fertiliser and it destroys the soil fertility after being used for three, four or five years. Our soil fertility is almost exhausted entirely. That is why the production is low and the quality of produce is also bad,” he said.
He averred that the chemical fertiliser also intensifies the perishability of harvested produce, which is why women harvest all crops together, even if they will not be able to sell them all at once, just to prevent them from perishing before harvest.
Mr. Darboe added that after harvest as well, they often have to sprinkle water to dampen the produce and prevent it from getting rotten before reaching the market. He however noted that it is a different story with the organic fertiliser, as produce can take days without getting spoiled.
He hailed Mayor Bensouda for the many projects over the years. He stressed the special important of the compost plant project, underscoring that it “empowers the women by enhancing production”.
“We are saying thanks to Mayor Talib Ahmed Bensouda, his administration and the councilors for the project,” he expressed
