General Information
· Main climates: Tropical Steppe and Semiarid, Tropical Wet and Dry
· Total land area: 1 000 000 ha
· Internal renewable water resources: 3 km3
· Incoming water flow: 5 km3
· GNP per capita, 1998: PPP$ -
· Main food consumed: Rice, Millet & sorghum, Oil & fat, Sugar & honey, Wheat
· Rice supply, 1999: 134.5 kg paddy/capita/year
Basic Statistics
|
1985 |
1990 |
1995 |
2000 |
RICE |
|
|
|
|
Harvested (T ha) |
12.10 |
14.60 |
15.40 |
15.78 |
Yield (kg/ha) |
1909 |
1467 |
1230 |
1829 |
Production (T t) |
23.10 |
21.43 |
18.95 |
28.87 |
Imports (T t) |
64.78 |
75.05 |
68.20 |
NA |
Exports (t) |
0 |
0 |
5 |
NA |
OTHERS |
|
|
|
|
Population (T) |
745 |
920 |
1111 |
NA |
Agr population (T) |
619 |
754 |
894 |
NA |
Irrigated agr area (T ha) |
1 |
1 |
2 |
NA |
Fertilizer cons (t) |
3900 |
600 |
944 |
NA |
Agr tractors in use (units) |
43 |
43 |
45 |
NA |
Producing Zones and Cropping Seasons
Rice is planted mainly in the central to western parts of the countries. The following table shows the rice-harvested areas from different producing zones.
Production zone |
Harvested area (% total harvested area) |
North Bank |
27.58 |
M.I.D. South |
22.12 |
Lower River |
20.87 |
M.I.D. North |
15.39 |
Western |
12.77 |
U.R.D. |
1.28 |
Most of rice crops are planted during rainy season. In irrigated areas a second rice crop may be grown.
Cropping season |
Planting |
Harvesting |
Main season |
5-6 |
10-11 |
Off season |
1-2 |
5-6 |
Production Practices
The following figure shows the harvested areas from different ecologies during the last five years. The tidal wetland (or mangrove) is the dominant in the category of other ecologies.
Upland rice is grown as a mono-crop or as in a mixture with other food crops following the slash-and-burn shifting cultivation almost without any application of chemical fertilizer and other ago-chemical. Women are the dominant farmers who cultivated small (from few hundred to few thousand square meters) rainfed lowland, tidal wetland and irrigated rice fields. A number of improved rice varieties have been released for cultivation.
Variety Name |
Ecology |
Growth duration (days) |
BG 90 2 |
Irrigated |
130-135 |
CTH 1 |
Irrigated |
NA |
I KONG PAO |
Irrigated |
115-120 |
IR 1529-680-3 |
Irrigated |
135 |
IR 28 |
Irrigated |
120-125 |
IR 28128-45-3-3-2 |
Irrigated |
|
IR 442 2 58 |
Irrigated |
135-140 |
IR 64 |
Irrigated |
|
IR 934 450 |
Irrigated |
135-140 |
ITA 212 |
Irrigated |
|
ITA 222 |
Irrigated |
|
KIMBAN BINGO LOCAL |
Irrigated |
NA |
PEKING |
Irrigated |
NA |
MEMBERAM |
Irrigated |
NA |
TN 1 |
Rainfed lowland |
NA |
WAR 77 |
Rainfed lowland |
130-135 |
ROHYB 4 |
Tidal wetland |
|
ROHYB 6 |
Tidal wetland |
|
WAR 1 |
Tidal wetland |
|
WAR 115-108-1-8 |
Tidal wetland |
|
WAR 77-3-2-2 |
Tidal wetland |
|
ROK 5 |
Tidal wetland |
140-145 |
ROKHYB 6 |
Tidal wetland |
135-140 |
DJ 11-307 |
Upland |
110 |
IRAT 10 |
Upland |
110-115 |
SE 302 G |
Upland |
100-115 |
WAB 56-50 |
Upland |
|
In rainfed lowland and tidal wetland systems, land preparation for lowland rice is done mainly manually, while power tillers are used in preparing irrigated rice fields. Transplanting is the dominant crop establishment. Farmers generally do not apply much fertilizer.
Constraints and Issues of Sustainable Production
There are several constraints to sustainable rice production in Gambia. Following are the majors:
Drought in upland areas and drought and flash flood in rainfed lowland (or inland swamp) and tidal wetland (or mangrove) areas due to irregular weather
Inadequate and Irregular input supplies: seeds, fertilizer and credit
Lack of small farm equipment especially for post harvest operations
Poor maintenance of developed swamps
Poor drainage, Iron toxicity in undeveloped swamps
Lack of effective farmer's organization and co-operative
Lack of well-defined rice policies
Poor road networks and marketing systems
Weak research and extension support
Sustainable rice production depends greatly on appropriate policy to provide farmers with support in inputs supply and marketing of products.
Research and Development Institutes
· Gambia Co-operative Union P.O. Box 505, Kanifing, Phone: 392581 Telex: 2270 COOPS GV Fax: 392582
· Rice Experimental Station, Jenoi
· Sapu Agricultural Research Station, Seed Multiplication Unit, Department of Agriculture, Maccharty Island Division, Banjul
· Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Department of Agriculture, Cape St. Mary, Bakau
· Yundum Research Station, Department of Agricultural Research, P.O. Box 739 Yundum, Gambia
· SAPU Agricultural Station, Department of Agricultural Research, Cape St. Mary HQ, Bakau, Banjul, Gambia
· National Agricultural Research Institute, PMB 526, Serekunda, The Gambia, Phone: (220) 48-47-25/47-28-75/67-80-73, Fax: (220) 48-49-27/47-28-75 Department of Planning, Department of State for Agriculture, No. 5 Marina Parade, Banjul, Tel.: (220) 228751, Fax: (220) 224851
· Programmes and Projects, Department of State for Agriculture, The Quadrange, Banjul, Tel.: (220) 229817, Fax: (220) 201187