NACOFAG, the Gambia, found there was limited awareness of the effects of climate change on the environment and biodiversity; of the importance to keep up sacred sites and to use indigenous knowledge management, and of the FAO Voluntary Guidelines on Land and Fisheries.

 

NACOFAG therefore conducted three trainings

on the effects of climate change on food and the

environment and participated in the formulation

and campaign of the Agriculture and Natural

Resource (ANR) Policy Review 2017 to 2025. 

They also conducted a national press conference

on local knowledge and consumption of local

food and facilitated two workshops on land and

fisheries based on the FAO Voluntary Guidelines

for Securing Sustainable Small –Scale Fisheries. 

 

IMPACTS AND CHALLENGES

A total of 115 farmers, 19 pastoralists, 30

community forest committee members, 30 fishers

were trained (97 women, 55 youths, 77 men)

while 3000 people from 2 community were

sensitized through FM Radio.

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Much discussion in trainings was on the

mitigation effects and coping strategies for those

who lost their ecosystems and farm lands as a

result of climate change impacts and land

development.  The voices and concerns of the

farmers, pastoralists and fishers were highlighted

in clauses of the ANR Policy in terms of access

and ownership to land by women and the importance of preserving sacred sites for generations yet unborn.  Unfortunately, there continues to be a lack of reference material on indigenous knowledge at national level and cultural taboos, ownership and the role of spirituality was not understood and accepted by some communities.

 

FUTURE

Plans for the future include developing a national data base (survey) on the available sacred sites that are affected by climate change conditions.

Contributed by NACOFAG Staff