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  • Publication | 2022

Food Systems Profile - The Gambia

Global Food and Nutrition Security

This analysis identifies four key challenges for the country to transition towards a sustainable food system:

(a) sustainable access to nutritious food, a challenge for most Gambian households;

(b) dominance of subsistence farming among smallholder farmers;

(c) lack of competitiveness of agrifood commodities in domestic and international markets; and

(d) lack of environmental resources’ support to the country’s sustainable food systems.

The identified systemic levers in each of these areas are as follows

(a) In the area of ‘access to nutritional food’: Strengthening Social and Behavioural Change Communication (SBCC) campaigns and programming on nutrition; and expanding nutrition-sensitive
and specific interventions.

(b) In the area of ‘subsistence farming’: Increasing investment for enhanced productive infrastructure and improved input access; and strengthening support institutions and farmers’ organizations for
enhanced service delivery.

(c) In the area of ‘lack of competitiveness of agrifood commodities’: Stimulating private sector investment in agrifood sector, as well as strengthening value chains of diversified agricultural commodities and
creating market linkages for high-value fish and horticultural products.

(d) In the area of ‘environmental resources’: Promoting sustainable land management by engaging smallholder producers in climate-smart agricultural development; and supporting urban and peri-urban agriculture to increase the resilience of local and regional food systems, and creating jobs for the young, urban workforce.