ActionAid International The Gambia has called on the government to increase investment in agroecology and organic fertiliser production, arguing that reliance on imported chemical fertilisers remains costly for farmers and threatens sustainable agricultural production.
Fafa O. Cham, Head of Programmes and Policy at ActionAid International The Gambia, made the call on Tuesday during a side event on women-led agroecology for affordable and climate-resilient farming, held at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara International Conference Centre.
The event was organised as part of the 2026 NGO Common Space, held alongside the NGO Coalition for Social Development conference under the theme mobilising civil society for bold social development pathways and future partnerships.
Cham said the side event provided an opportunity to showcase ActionAid's work in promoting agroecology and encourage development partners to support sustainable farming practices.
He emphasised the importance of agriculture to The Gambia's economy, noting that the sector provides livelihoods for a significant proportion of the population. However, he said climate change was increasingly threatening productivity, with changing rainfall patterns affecting farmers' ability to plan.
"Our rainfall is reducing, but also the rains are starting late and ending very early. So that means something needs to be done," Cham said.
He argued that agroecology offers a sustainable alternative by helping farmers improve soil fertility, reduce dependence on expensive external inputs and build resilience to climate change.
Cham expressed concern over government expenditure on subsidising imported chemical fertilisers, arguing that the cost remains a burden despite subsidies.
He said a bag of fertiliser costing about D1,100 remains unaffordable for many smallholder farmers, particularly women, who face additional barriers in accessing agricultural inputs.
"We are advocating for government to reduce that subsidy on chemical fertiliser and spend it on organic fertiliser," he said.
ActionAid's agroecology initiative focuses on training women farmers to produce organic fertilisers, including compost and liquid manure, while improving soil management for vegetable and upland crops such as groundnuts and maize.
Working with the People's Appropriate Technology Enterprise (PAT-ENT) and local communities, the organisation has supported the construction of community compost chambers in Dalaba, Sare Birom and Balangare.
The facilities are intended to support collective production, storage and distribution of organic fertiliser, enabling farmers to access locally produced inputs.
The initiative has created opportunities for women to reduce production costs, share knowledge and explore income-generating activities linked to organic fertiliser production.
Cham called on civil society organisations, development partners and other stakeholders to join ActionAid's advocacy for increased government investment in agroecology.
"No one institution or anyone can do it alone. This needs collective effort," he said.
He added that stronger investment in sustainable farming could improve production while promoting safer food and protecting the environment.
The side event brought together stakeholders to discuss challenges facing women smallholder farmers and identify practical recommendations on agricultural financing, access to land, technology, markets and extension services.
ActionAid also called for agroecology to be integrated into agricultural policies and extension programmes, alongside expanded community composting infrastructure and stronger partnerships between government, civil society and farmer organisations.
The organisation said empowering women farmers through locally led agroecological practices could strengthen rural livelihoods, improve food security and increase resilience to climate change.