Last year, in a significant stride towards creating job opportunities and addressing food insecurity, the Gambia Tourism and Hospitality Institute (GTHI), in partnership with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), conducted an impactful agri-food processing and packaging training program. The initiative benefited 200 young entrepreneurs across various regions of The Gambia, focusing on crucial areas of food processing that included fruits and vegetables, cereals and grains, and milk and cream.
The training sessions were held across three key regions: 40 participants in the Lower River Region (LRR), 60 in the Upper River Region (URR), and 100 in the Greater Banjul Area (GBA). This regional approach ensured that youth from diverse communities had the opportunity to acquire essential skills, fostering a broad network of local entrepreneurs equipped to enhance the country's food supply chain.
Prior to the training, GTHI embarked on an extensive community outreach campaign aimed at sensitizing local communities on the benefits of acquiring food processing and packaging skills. These outreach sessions helped communities understand the urgent need for sustainable food practices and the potential of food processing as a source of income. GTHI's proactive engagement was instrumental in inspiring young people to join the program, with many recognizing it as a valuable opportunity to secure their futures.
The training program not only provided technical skills but also highlighted the importance of innovation in reducing post-harvest loss and enhancing food availability.
Through practical, hands-on learning in food processing, these young entrepreneurs are now equipped to process locally-sourced fruits, grains, and dairy products, adding value to raw materials that might otherwise go underutilized.
The GTHI-GIZ agri-food processing training has empowered youth across The Gambia to take ownership of the local food industry, create employment opportunities, and make significant strides toward food security in their communities. Through continuous investment in youth skills development, GTHI and GIZ are paving the way for a resilient, sustainable future in agri-food, with lasting benefits for The Gambia's economy and its people.
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