Climate change is adversely affecting Gambia’s ecosystem and livelihoods especially for communities that entirely rely on agriculture related activities. Experts believe that it is only through planting more trees and the adoption of sound eco-friendly initiatives that can help to curb the country’s fast depleting climate pattern.
It is against this backdrop that Bulock Kaponga Youth Development Association; a community-based association in Bulock, in collaboration with its partners like GYIN Gambia Chapter on Saturday embarked on a mass tree planting exercise at the village forest.
The initiative, which is an annual undertaking, saw the planting of more 4000 tree species among them, Gmalina, Baobab (Adansonia), Ceiba Pentandra (Bantango) among others.
Speaking to journalists, Sunkary Badjie, National Assembly Member for Foni Berefet, thanked the youth organisation for championing such a brilliant idea. He acknowledged that global warming is becoming increasingly felt in the country as demonstrated in the less drops of rains.
“One point in time from the beginning of August towards the end, there were rains in The Gambia. We all know what it meant if there are no rains in the country.”
He made reference to the ecological setup of the area in the past in contrast to the present situation, noting that Foni Berefet used to boast of thick forests. “But all that is fading away due to human activities in the area.”
Mamadou Edrissa Njie, executive director of The Global Youth Innovation Network Gambia chapter, underscored the importance of the exercise, noting that the initiative is largely linked to the activities that his organisation has been spearheading for the past years. “We want to see The Gambia green and we also want to recover our fast depleting forest. Basically, we are planting these seedlings as we are expecting more rains and woodlots from the forest.”
The composition of the exercise, he said, speaks volume of the importance of the exercise, which attracts participants from all the regions of the country, saying climate change is real and adversely affecting the country’s ecosystem, further calling for intense and pragmatic approach to curb climate change.
Tamba Jammeh of Mama Tamba Jammeh Youth Empowerment Association in Illiassa, North Bank Region extolled the significance of the event, saying that the large turnout of youth during the exercise is another demonstration of their commitment to the fight against climate change.
He presented hundreds of seedlings to Bulock Kamponga Youth Development Association in support of their environmental regeneration efforts on behalf of his association.
Kumba Badjie, a volunteer from the community, hailed the youth association and its partners for their foresight and dedication to environmental protection.
