Taiwan Helps Gambia Triple Rice Production

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Taiwan Helps Gambia Triple Rice Production

Sunday, 29 July 2012 16:14

(CNA) – A four-year assistance project by Taiwan to its ally The Gambia has helped triple rice production in the African country, an official with a government-funded agency said recently, adding that a new rice program is planned.

Between 2009 and 2012, Taiwan played a part in assisting The Gambia in expanding its rice production aimed at addressing that nation's food scarcity, said Lee Pai-po, deputy secretary-general of the Taipei-based International Cooperation and Development Fund (TaiwanICDF).

Before Taiwan pitched in, he recalled, total rice production in The Gambia was only 25,000 metric tons per year.

The production has now increased to 80,000 metric tons, which is only enough to feed one million people, he noted, adding that The Gambia has a population of 1.8 million.

President Ma and President Jammeh

Since the project has delivered improved results, a new assistance program will follow, Lee pointed out.

In its initial stage, the new project will aim to maintain the current amount of rice production in The Gambia and prevent local rice farmers from switching to cash crops such as peanuts, he added.

The new program is also planned to expand land used to grow rice and cultivate rice seeds, Lee said.

The cultivation of premium rice seeds and irrigation techniques are areas of expertise Taiwan has shared with The Gambia, he added.

Taiwan has four allies in Africa: The Gambia, Burkina Faso, Sao Tome and Principe, as well as Swaziland.

For several decades, Taiwan has been offering assistance to African countries through projects aimed at improving local industrial development and humanitarian emergency assistance.
Written by Elaine Hou and Emmanuelle Tzeng

Comments

+2 #4 2012-07-30 17:18

The Taiwanese think that the Gambians are fools. Where is this 80,000 metric tons? I personally have never heard of this before and don't know anyone who has benefited from this large amount of rice. In the real and depressing world of The Gambia, a bag of rice is 1400 dalasi. The Taiwanese are only there to prop up Yaya Jammeh and have little interest in the welfare of Gambians. This is another cheap propaganda from them.

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+1 #3 2012-07-29 20:57

If this is true why is that the price of rice in the country is increasing?? May be Taiwan is helping dictator jammeh in his rice business since he is selling his rice cheaper than his Gambian competitors.
There is no proof on the ground that this project is benefiting the Gambia as a nation.

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+1 #2 2012-07-29 19:18

More propaganda. If this it is true Gambia produced so much rice, then why did we declare a looming famine. So Taiwan is our farmer now; so where is the productivity of the people our people, or is Taiwan going to contine to be the country's farmer as our people sit back and just live off the Taiwanese labor. Well I know of no one who has benefitted from this Taiwanese rice production anyway, so where is all this rice by the way? More questions than answers.

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