Jatropha in Gambia

From the National show, Jatropha fuel Gambia continued to part in the trade fair from the 1st to the 9th December 2007.

It was another success for the visitors at this trade fair were amazed to know and to see for them selves how important this plant is. Others even commented that with Jatropha means the end of wars in Africa. Organizations and individuals, after getting the news over the radio and TV, started collecting seeds and asking very impressive questions as “How can we get in touch to work hand in hand”.

The following addresses listed below were interested partners; some of them are sponsors of Gambians schools. They promised to integrate Jatropha projects at all the schools they are sponsoring, other women groups with keen interest. – Sally Reeder (FROGS), e-mail: sallyreeder@yahoo.co.uk – Mr/Mrs. Bojang of Tropical Gardens, e-mail: astridbojang@gmx.net – Margaret.Smith, e-mail: margaretsmith20042000@yahoo.com – Jan de Graaf, e-mail: j.de.graaf@hetnet.nl  The rest wants to work hand in hand with Jatropha Fuel Gambia to boost the economy of the nation and to empower the grass root people. – Thomas Stephan needs Jatropha oil for his trucks. – George Riegg, Paper recycling Skills Project e-mail: icecool@qanet.gm is impressed and requests for seeds to be planted at his centre. – Njagga B. Jawo of Nawfa, e-mail: nawfa@qanet.gm – Nyodame Environment and Food Security Association (NEFSA) of Baila Jokadou (NBD) – And the House of Production are committed and ready to do a lot of promotion work.

The way forward: We are pleased with the sponsorship given to us by Beppie Smits and Milko Berben and their business Global Energy in Bijilo. They are always by our side to solve another problem the ambassadors may encounter. Without them this effective sensitization would not be possible. We again appeal to them to assist us register a Charitable Organization for some of the NGO’s and institutions ask this. We feel by registering it will be easy to tap funds needed for the promotion of this important plant.

Through we encountered problems during the 9 days regarding feeding and transport fees, but they are acceptable as we are there to promote not to sell. We thank you very much for your service rendered. We hope you will continue rendering for without you Jatropha is not known.

Thank you very much,

Your ambassadors: Seedy Jarju (9701062) Musa Samura (9980795)

Jatropha has considerately gain lot of attention by visitors who were very interested to start growing it. A lot of people considered the Jatropha as a wild plant but during these 3-days show we made the visitors understand that it is the most important plant that would create income generator as well as reduce poverty  50 Copies of the brochure were given to individuals, institutions example school and woman groups. The ambassadors were very happy for your contribution in making them attend the show to sensitize the public about the importance of Jatropha, which could not have been possible without your humble and extinct office.  The energy companies on this show also organized themselves to establish an association called: Gambia Association for Water and Energy Service (GAWES).  Ambassadors will also disseminate the information to the rest of their partners who were unable to attend the show. The concision of the association will be communicated to you through your email address by Kemo Ceesay.

The association is continuing with Jatropha – Fuel Gambia to attend the trade fair at the Independent Stadium from the 1^st of December to the 9^th of December 2007. 

We, the ambassadors are very enthusiastic to establish the Jatropha oil for the Gambia as a charitable organization together with your ideas and aspirations to boost the production capacity of this plant. We really want to work hand in hand with all the support you can render to the ambassadors. Thank you very much Ceedy Jarju        9701062 Musa Samora      9980795 / 7331307    

  Over the last weeks so much has happened that I don’t know where to start. The exhibition was a big success, there ware so many positive reactions that even our own ambassadors were kind of surprised about it, but also again convinced that they are putting all this energy in a good future for their country. At the exhibition we received an invitation for the 9-days Trade Fair. The EU had a table for the Jatropha project reserved, normal this would costs D 15,000, to be able to promote the growing of Jatropha in Gambia. We were so happy about this. The fair was an even bigger success. The Vice-President stopped at the Jatropha table for more then 10 minutes and this is special knowing that the other stands only had 1 minute of her time. She asked so many questions to Mr. Seedy Jarju (tel: +220.9701062) and Mr. Musa Samura (Tel: + 220.9980795 or 7331307) and she was so interested in the information that she even decided to come back after seeing some of the other stands. Radio and television interviewed our Seedy and Musa and they also promised to follow it up. At first all people are a bit reluctant. They all know the plant and they are all so surprised learning about the benefits and the possibilities it can give for the country. NGO’s are interested to support, schools are told to fence their school ground with Tabanane. Many people took seeds home for their own garden etc, etc. Mr. Seesy couldn’t stop talking and telling me how happy he was with all the positive feedback. I will post the letter with the report after the GREC exhibition and the Report after the fair here. But also we would like to thank Pierre again for bringing the information to us. Without him this would not all have happened. Thank you Pierre!!

The next step is now to have the Jatropha initiative registered as a Charity organisation so they are able to receive sponsoring for the costs for copies, travel expenses, oil press production and the devellopment of cooking stoves etc.