Dr Demba Sabally, Gambia’s Minister of Agriculture, recently led a national delegation to a high-profile investment forum in Abuja.
The delegation comprises the permanent secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture and Director General of the Department of Agriculture.
The National and Sub regional Hand in Hand investment forum hosted in Nigeria from 16-18 September 2025, is a high-level Investment Forum convened by the FAO Subregional Office for West Africa.
The Hand-in-Hand Initiative is FAO’s country-led, evidence-based approach aimed at boosting agricultural productivity, reducing inequalities, and building resilience in vulnerable areas.
The Forum brought together governments, development partners, private sector actors, and financial institutions to identify investment-ready opportunities and forge strategic partnerships to drive food systems transformation across West Africa and the Sahel.
The main objectives of the National and Sub-Regional Hand-in-Hand Investment Forums were to present National and Regional Investment Opportunities in Irrigation, showcase new investment proposals developed under the HiH Initiative, aligned with the Dakar+10 Declaration and Kampala Declaration, secure Stakeholders’ buy-in, and reinforce support from governments, private sector actors, development partners, and financial institutions for priority irrigation investments.
It also focused on identifying investors and building partnerships through engaging with national and international investors for financing bankable irrigation projects and partnerships for deep feasibility studies and mobilizing resources for national and regional irrigation investment plans, strengthening food security, nutrition, and resilience. It also seeks to prepare stakeholders for the Rome Roundtable which is organised to follow up on progress made.
Dr Sabally, has been at the forefront of Gambia’s food system reforms since his ministerial appointment. His roadmap prioritizes resilient, inclusive, and sustainable solutions—incorporating modern infrastructural support, capacity building, and the empowerment of rural producers.
