By Haruna Kuyateh
Many Farmers in the country have welcomed the use of Wave digital payment platform in buying their nuts, as the 2025 groundnut trade season commenced.
The farmers have called for regular cash flow disbursements to Wave agents to ensure smooth transactions.
Speaking to The Voice, secco (buying point) presidents Alagie Jeng of Minteh Kunda Village, Foday Gassama of Saaba, Ebou Ndow of Mbamori Kunda and Samba Sallah of Kuntair described the opening of the season as encouraging. They said farmers were satisfied with the Wave payment system, noting that it safeguards their earnings and allows them to purchase household necessities while keeping their money secured conveniently.
However, Ebou Ndow of Mbamori Kunda called for alternative payment options, citing the limited number of Wave agents in parts of Lower Badibou North, which sometimes constrains access to cash.
The secco leaders also highlighted challenges faced by some farmers, particularly those without valid national identity cards or with expired documents. They said such limitations prevent affected farmers from increasing transaction limits on their mobile money accounts.
According to the secco presidents, each buying point received an initial disbursement of D1.9 million and has already purchased about 50 tonnes of groundnuts. The produce is awaiting transportation to the Kerewan Depot for additional screening before another tranche of cash is released.
They stressed the need for Wave Company to ensure timely provision of floats to its agents, many of whom operate far from banking facilities, to avoid payment delays during peak trading periods.
The seccos also reaffirmed their zero-tolerance stance on non-compliance with standard weighing and screening procedures. While some buying points are using modern screening machines supplied by authorities, others still rely on traditional equipment that has been in use for decades.
It was noted that the new screening machine has not yet been installed at Minteh Kunda, while the one installed in Farafenni has developed a technical fault and is awaiting repair by technicians.
The secco presidents commended the Gambia Groundnut Corporation (GGC) and the government for promoting digital transformation in the sector. They also called for regular supervision by technical engineering units, as well as officials from Wave and GGC, to provide coaching and mentoring to secco operators and ensure prompt resolution of challenges.
With farmers reporting a bumper groundnut harvest this season, stakeholders emphasized that consistent cash disbursement will be critical to keep all Wave agents fully operational and sustain smooth trading.
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By Haruna Kuyateh Many Farmers in the country have welcomed the use of Wave digital payment platform in buying…
The post Farmers Welcome Wave Payment As 2025 Groundnut Trade Season Begins appeared first on .
