IBSA Fund: Retired Soldiers Transforming Farms with IBSA Support

Not everyone leaves the army to grow cucumbers. But for Alieu Bah, a retired sergeant with 18 years in the military, trading bullets for seedlings was the beginning of a new battle, one against hunger, poverty, and prejudice. The 40-year-old turned his back on a secure military life to follow a passion many thought was madness. “People in the village said I was not normal,” he recalled, laughing. “They couldn’t understand why someone would leave the army for a garden.” But Alieu was undeterred. With skills gained from the Youth Agribusiness Songhai Centre, he launched a bold venture into integrated farming on a modest plot.  

  Today, that plot has blossomed into a livelihood that feeds over 20 people, including the 14 children left behind by his late brothers. “My last tomato harvest brought in GMD 30,000,” Alieu shared. “I used it to buy Koriteh clothes for the kids and pay their school fees.” He is also cultivating cucumbers and managing fishponds, proof that the dream is bearing fruit. Yet, it hasn’t been easy. Alieu’s biggest enemy now isn’t drought or disease, but animals. “They destroy everything at night. I tried everything, but nothing worked,” he said. That’s when the FAO-IBSA project stepped in. Work has now begun to fence a four-hectare garden allocated to him, a move Alieu says will be life-changing. “This is the turning point,” he beamed. “Once it’s fenced, I can double my output.” For Alieu, this intervention has restored dignity. “FAO and IBSA didn’t just give me support,” he said, “they gave me a reason to believe that farming is a future worth investing in.” While the fence is under construction the project is providing training on vegetable production. The Enhancing Vegetable Production and Processing for Rural Women and Youth in The Gambia project, funded by the IBSA Fund, aims to improve the productivity and sustainability of women and youth in the horticulture sector. By addressing key challenges, the project seeks to increase income, food security, and reduce issues like illegal migration, using a value chain approach to empower these groups in rural areas.   Source: https://www.fao.org/gambia/news/detail-events/en/c/1736240/