Vegetable gardeners at Sambuya village in Kombo South have lamented the lack of space for work as a result of the alleged destruction of their vegetable farms by the Unity Sand Mining Company.
The women in an interview with The Point accused the company of destroying their vegetable farm lands since the beginning of its sand mining activities in the community and thus deprived them from engaging in any meaningful gardening for the past two years.
Jainaba Manjang, a victim of sand mining, said she and her colleagues have not been doing any form of vegetable gardening for more than two years. She blamed the situation on sand mining operations by the company, which she alleges destroyed their vegetable farm lands.
She affirmed that before the coming of the sand mining activities near their vegetable gardens, they earn almost D40,000 annually from the produce of their garden.
“We have not been doing any vegetable gardening for over two years since our gardens were destroyed due to sanding mining activities. Currently we have no other place to rely on as women. Before, we used to earn almost D40,000 dalasi from the sales of our crops which is used to pay our children’s school fees and other expenses. So this is the situation we are faced with now. There is currently no other area to venture in order to provide for our families,” she said.
Nafie Darboe, disclosed that almost 30 women gardeners were affected by the sand mining activities. She said that these women are no longer undertaking any form of activity that could help sustain the livelihood of their families.
“We are not only affected by the destruction of our vegetable farm lands but also the daily inhalation of the dust from the passing trucks. This is not even good for health,” she said.
The manager of Unity Mining Company, Buba Bojang, told The Point that the main land for horticultural gardening has already been back-filled with sand, stating the place will soon be utilized by the women. He disclosed that an additional 100 square-meter has been given out for the women to use for their gardening.
“I can assure you that before the end of October, these women will start their gardening activities as the company has already assigned a person to fence the entire perimeter of their garden and to provide a borehole that will supply them with water.”
“So let me also make it clear that we do not only reward each woman with D10, 000 as compensation for their destroyed gardens, but others were given 15,000 as damage to their gardens,” he told The Africa Press Gambia.
