The joint programme titled “Empowering Communities for Resilient Food Systems in Foni” was successfully launched on 29 July 2025. The one-year project aims at transforming local food systems and enhancing resilience by addressing systemic challenges in governance, market access, and sustainability in The Gambia.
The initiative, funded by the Joint SDG Fund, is led by the World Food Programme (WFP) and co-implemented by the International Trade Centre (ITC), under the leadership of the United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator and in close cooperation with the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (MoBSE) of the Government of The Gambia. It leverages home-grown school feeding as catalyst to strengthen local governance, integrate smallholder farmers into structured markets, encourage the adoption of climate-smart and sustainable agricultural practices, and promote community awareness of nutrition and sustainable practices. It empowers area councils, village development committees, and other local stakeholders through a multi-level governance approach and participatory planning to drive SDG localization. The project is governed by a Steering Committee comprising local, national, and international stakeholders.
The expected results of the programme include improved capacities for local governance, the deployment of digital tools for real-time data collection on food stock monitoring at the school level, strengthened farmer cooperatives, and fostered sustainable partnerships between producer aggregators and market stakeholders. The programme directly contributes to accelerating SDGs 2 (Zero Hunger), 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and 13 (Climate Action), while promoting gender equality (SDG 5) and fostering partnerships (SDG 17). It aligns with the SDG transitions, such as food systems and jobs and social protection, as well as incorporates engine room actions, including policy and regulatory framework shifts and capacity building.
Mr. Muhamadou Ceesay, President of the Gambia Association of Local Government Authorities (GALGA) stated: “As we stand at the crossroads of critical challenges – including climate change, poverty, and malnutrition – it is imperative that we adopt a holistic and integrated approach to our food systems. Over 53 percent of households in The Gambia live below the poverty line, and the reliance on rain-fed agriculture makes our food systems particularly vulnerable to economic shocks and climate-related events. This project aims to address these systemic challenges head-on”.
Mr. Karl-Frédérick Paul, UN Resident Coordinator in The Gambia emphasised: “This project, financed through the Joint SDG Fund, seeks to build resilience and address inequalities, ensuring no one is left behind, creating a scalable model for sustainable development in The Gambia”.
“By leveraging home-grown school feeding and fostering partnerships between local governments, communities, and private sector actors, we will contribute to creating the needed enabling environment for systemic change in the Foni region as crucial outlet for agricultural produce and labour opportunities”, said Mr. Malick Ndiaye, WFP Deputy Country Director in The Gambia.
Mr. Omar Bah, Senior Education Officer at MoBSE stated: “Research has shown that school feeding in The Gambia increases enrolment, retention, and completion rates among children. The Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education has initiated the home-grown school feeding programme since 2012. This Joint SDG Fund project will transform local food systems in the Foni region to the benefit of 50 schools by best nurturing school feeding and promoting good health and vitality among our children”.
Mr. Yusupha Keita, ITC Representative a.i. in The Gambia highlighted: “In today’s world of rising food insecurity and climate volatility, the urgency of building resilient food systems cannot be overstated. Resilience in this context means adopting sustainable agricultural practices, enhancing productive capacities, improving access to markets, adding value, and mainstreaming the human security model into local governance”.
The project launch was attended by key stakeholders, including from the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany, EU Delegation, Government partners, and local stakeholders, such as the Brikama Area Council, Buzz Women Gambia, and GALGA.
Note:
All joint programmes of the Joint SDG Fund are led by UN Resident Coordinators and implemented by the agencies, funds and programmes of the United Nations development system. With sincere appreciation for the contributions from the European Union and Governments of Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and our private sector funding partners, for a transformative movement towards achieving the SDGs by 2030.
