Maclean et al. - 2002 - Rice almanac source book for the most important e
Maclean et al. - 2002 - Rice almanac source book for the most important e
Maclean et al. - 2002 - Rice almanac source book for the most important e
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The GAMBIA is a very sm<strong>al</strong>l tropic<strong>al</strong> nation of 11,000 km 2 , <strong>for</strong>ming an east-west strip of land<br />
<strong>al</strong>ong <strong>the</strong> Gambia River to its mouth in <strong>the</strong> Atlantic Ocean. Seneg<strong>al</strong> surrounds <strong>the</strong> country<br />
apart from its 80-km coastline. The veg<strong>et</strong>ation is <strong>for</strong>est and rain<strong>for</strong>est but large areas have<br />
been de<strong>for</strong>ested <strong>for</strong> firewood and agriculture. Only 1% of <strong>the</strong> land is arable. Agriculture occupies<br />
52% of <strong>the</strong> work<strong>for</strong>ce in <strong>the</strong> population of 1.3 million (1999) and is 23% of <strong>the</strong> GDP.<br />
Gener<strong>al</strong> in<strong>for</strong>mation<br />
• GNI per capita PPP$, 2000: 1,620<br />
• Intern<strong>al</strong> renewable water re<strong>source</strong>s: 3 km 3<br />
• Incoming water flow: 5 km 3<br />
• Main food consumed: rice, mill<strong>et</strong> and<br />
sorghum, oil and fat, sugar and honey, wheat<br />
• <strong>Rice</strong> consumption, 1999: 89.7 kg milled rice<br />
per person per year<br />
Production constraints<br />
There are sever<strong>al</strong> major constraints to sustainable<br />
rice production in The Gambia:<br />
• Periodic drought in upland areas and<br />
drought and flash flood in rainfed lowland<br />
(or inland swamp) and tid<strong>al</strong> w<strong>et</strong>land (or<br />
mangrove) areas because of irregular<br />
wea<strong>the</strong>r<br />
• Inadequate and irregular input supplies:<br />
seeds, fertilizer, and credit<br />
• Lack of sm<strong>al</strong>l farm equipment, especi<strong>al</strong>ly<br />
<strong>for</strong> postharvest operations<br />
• Poor maintenance of developed swamps<br />
• Poor drainage, iron toxicity in undeveloped<br />
swamps<br />
• Lack of effective farmers’ organizations and<br />
cooperatives<br />
• Lack of well-defined rice policies<br />
• Poor road n<strong>et</strong>works and mark<strong>et</strong>ing systems<br />
• Weak research and extension support<br />
Production season<br />
Planting Harvesting<br />
Main season May-Jun Oct-Nov<br />
Off-season Jan-Feb May-Jun<br />
162 <strong>Rice</strong> <strong>al</strong>manac