Honourable Members of Cabinet, Honourable National Assembly Members, Senior Government Officials and Service Chiefs, Our Development Partners, Distinguished Farmers and Beneficiaries, Members of the Media, Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is with much excitement and optimism of a golden era for The Gambia that I am in your midst to officially hand over this first assortment of agricultural machinery and equipment to selected beneficiaries from our farming communities.

The event marks another significant milestone in my government’s strides to modernise agriculture in the country and our collective journey towards food self-sufficiency nationwide.

Assembled for delivery today are sixty (60) tractors, each with a capacity of seventy-five (75) horsepower, eighteen (18) disc harrows, and ten (10) tipping trailers. Alongside these items are other modern implements, such as rotary tillers and seed drills and planters.

The assets lined up here are part of a bigger package of one hundred and eighty (180) tractors and accessories that the Government, through the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Food Security, procured for our farming communities. I commend Yonna Agribusiness, the supplier, for their collaboration to realise this goal. Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

The distribution of these tractors re-echoes my government’s irreversible resolve to transform agriculture into a mechanised, efficient, and business oriented sector.

Mechanisation is imperative, if we are to feed our growing population, create jobs for our youth, and reduce our import bill. To get the most out of it, however, we must mechanise responsibly, transparently, and sustainably. That is why a co-financing model has been introduced to ensure ownership and accountability from both the Government and beneficiaries of the initiative.

Within this arrangement, whereas The Gambia Government will shoulder twenty-five percent (25%) of the total cost, the beneficiary farmer or farmer group will contribute twenty-five percent (25%) upfront to receive a tractor and its implements. The remaining fifty percent (50%) is payable over a four-year-period, with Government acting as guarantor.

To safeguard this investment, the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Security and the farmer will sign a contractual agreement. It will cover management issues, repayment arrangements, and oversight functions. The Ministry’s Agricultural Engineering Services will develop and implement a maintenance and repair plan. Ladies and Gentlemen,

We must not allow anyone to waste or mismanaged such public investments. These tractors are not gifts. They are instruments of growth, procured within the framework of shared responsibility for service and maximum productivity. Consequently, violation of any contractual agreement may lead to the withdrawal of the equipment or the application of other appropriate measures. Distinguished Farmers,

This is your moment. Because you are the backbone of our economy, my government will continue to invest in your growth and success. It is now your responsibility to maximise the opportunities and benefits that come with the tractors. Make sure that you substantively increase your yields, expand your farms, and boost your income. Furthermore, let us work together, Government, farmers, and partners, to ensure that this investment delivers maximum results. I urge the Ministry of Agriculture Livestock and Food Security to operate transparently and implement this programme diligently and efficiently.

Continue to monitor, evaluate, and support the beneficiaries so that they utilise the machinery and equipment at their disposal to meaningfully transform their lives.

While we remain deeply grateful to you, our development partners and stakeholders, we invite you to continue this journey with us to finally attain food self-sufficiency and agricultural prosperity in The Gambia.

Nothing is nobler and more fulfilling than supporting humanity through significant improvements on the lives and livelihoods of the poor, the vulnerable, and disadvantaged groups in society.

For the people, this initiative is a commitment, a contract, and a catalyst for agricultural transformation in the country. Let us set it in motion collectively and make it count visibly. May Allah bless the farming community and the Gambian nation as a whole.