By: Modou Touray
In an interview with this medium, the Vice President of Bakau Women Gardeners, Mba-Adama Jammeh, said that chemical fertilizer negatively affects their vegetables while the organic compost is effective and makes crops healthier.
“Before, we were using chemicals on our vegetables, and production was low,” she said, adding that since they started using compost manure, production has increased.
“The organic manure is very good for our vegetables, and it helps them grow faster and healthier,”
She added that despite their success, they face challenges such as the lack of storage facilities and market access, prompting calls for government support to further boost their productivity and expand the garden for more women.
Comparing the durability of vegetables grown with organic ingredients to those with chemicals, when we were using chemicals, our vegetables didn’t last long and would get rotten. But since we started using organic manure from the compost, our vegetables are healthier and can stay longer without getting rotten.”
She stated that despite their increased vegetable production over the past years since they began using organic manure in their gardens, these determined gardeners face challenges such as the lack of a storage facility and market access.
On behalf of Bakau Women Gardeners, she appealed to the government to assist them by providing storage facilities to mitigate the loss of income. They also want the garden to be expanded so that other women in the village who want to venture into vegetable production can also have space.
