Gov’t $3M agro-logistics project aims to cut post-harvest losses in NBR
The project is being constructed under the Gambia Inclusive and Resilient Agricultural Value Chain Development Project (GIRAV). The facility is financed by the World Bank and the Government of The Gambia for US$3.2 million. The facility consists of dry warehouses, cold-storage facilities, sorting and grading areas, logistics support facilities, a weighbridge, and industrial plots. The cold-storage facilities will cater for perishable agricultural produce, while the dry warehouses will provide storage for commodities such as onions and other produce from the region. Hon. Demba Sabally, the Minister for Agriculture described the project as a game changer for the agriculture sector that will provide a range of facilities aimed at improving the storage, handling and distribution of agricultural produce. “It has a lot of options, that is stores, training centres, lodging areas, conference centres, and at the back we have warehouses that are cold storage facilities. But we also have dry facilities where they can store onions and a lot of the perishable goods that are produced in the North Bank region,” Hon. Sabally told journalists. Hon. Sabally said the project essentially is to reduce post-harvest loss which he said is his government’s food self-sufficiency drive by 2030. Hon. Sabally said the post-harvest loss of about 30% will be highly minimised in the country especially for perishable goods. He said the project would be completed by the end of October and possibly inaugurated by the President in the first week of November this year. “All the materials that are needed to complete this project are already on site. It's just a matter of installation,” he said. The Agro-Logistics Centre will also have a range of utility services, including a sewage treatment plant, waste management centre, electrical distribution system, road network and drainage network. While updating President Barrow on the progress of the facility, Mamut Jagne, the contractor, said construction of the facility is currently about 75 per cent complete. He said the administration building is expected to be completed by October, provided construction work is not significantly affected by the rains. Nyang said the tiling on the upper floor is about 90 per cent complete, while work in the middle section is around 70 percent complete. He said all the materials required to complete the project have already been mobilised and are on site. Nyang further informed the President that four to five teams are currently working on different sections of the project simultaneously. He said the administration building will house stores, shops, a training centre and a dormitory. Nyang also stated that the centre will also include a fuel station and a repair workshop, with plans to invite private concessionaires to operate the fuel station. The main warehouse will have a storage capacity of approximately 2,700 metric tonnes.
Black News 
The project is being constructed under the Gambia Inclusive and Resilient Agricultural Value Chain Development Project (GIRAV). The facility is financed by the World Bank and the Government of The Gambia for US$3.2 million.
The facility consists of dry warehouses, cold-storage facilities, sorting and grading areas, logistics support facilities, a weighbridge, and industrial plots.
The cold-storage facilities will cater for perishable agricultural produce, while the dry warehouses will provide storage for commodities such as onions and other produce from the region.
Hon. Demba Sabally, the Minister for Agriculture described the project as a game changer for the agriculture sector that will provide a range of facilities aimed at improving the storage, handling and distribution of agricultural produce.
“It has a lot of options, that is stores, training centres, lodging areas, conference centres, and at the back we have warehouses that are cold storage facilities. But we also have dry facilities where they can store onions and a lot of the perishable goods that are produced in the North Bank region,” Hon. Sabally told journalists.
Hon. Sabally said the project essentially is to reduce post-harvest loss which he said is his government’s food self-sufficiency drive by 2030.
Hon. Sabally said the post-harvest loss of about 30% will be highly minimised in the country especially for perishable goods. He said the project would be completed by the end of October and possibly inaugurated by the President in the first week of November this year.
“All the materials that are needed to complete this project are already on site. It's just a matter of installation,” he said.
The Agro-Logistics Centre will also have a range of utility services, including a sewage treatment plant, waste management centre, electrical distribution system, road network and drainage network.
While updating President Barrow on the progress of the facility, Mamut Jagne, the contractor, said construction of the facility is currently about 75 per cent complete. He said the administration building is expected to be completed by October, provided construction work is not significantly affected by the rains.
Nyang said the tiling on the upper floor is about 90 per cent complete, while work in the middle section is around 70 percent complete. He said all the materials required to complete the project have already been mobilised and are on site.
Nyang further informed the President that four to five teams are currently working on different sections of the project simultaneously. He said the administration building will house stores, shops, a training centre and a dormitory.
Nyang also stated that the centre will also include a fuel station and a repair workshop, with plans to invite private concessionaires to operate the fuel station.
The main warehouse will have a storage capacity of approximately 2,700 metric tonnes.
