Talib Bensouda Pledges to Make Farmers The Gambia’s Wealthiest Under His Presidency

By Fatou Sillah

Talib Ahmed Bensouda, mayor of Kanifing Municipal Council and presidential candidate of Coalition 2026, has pledged to make farmers the wealthiest people in The Gambia if elected president.

Speaking at a Coalition 2026 rally in Basse Mansajang, Bensouda said the government must do more to improve farmers’ livelihoods and ensure they benefit from the agricultural sector.

“Under President Talib Ahmed Bensouda, the richest people in The Gambia will be farmers,” he said.

Bensouda criticized the government over groundnut prices and the rising cost of cement, arguing that stagnant earnings from agricultural produce were weakening farmers’ purchasing power.

He said a bag of groundnuts sells for D1,500 in The Gambia, compared with D3,000 in neighboring Senegal. He also questioned the government’s position on farmers selling their produce across the border, where he said they could earn more.

To illustrate his concerns, Bensouda said a ton of groundnuts sold for D28,000 three years ago, enough at the time to purchase 100 bags of cement. According to him, the price of a ton of groundnuts has remained at D28,000, while the cost of 100 bags of cement has risen to D48,000.

He argued that the disparity raised questions about whether government policies were improving farmers’ economic conditions.

Bensouda urged President Adama Barrow to direct public resources toward improving Gambians’ lives, saying the country’s wealth should benefit its citizens.

He said a Coalition 2026 government would prioritize women and young people, with plans focused on their needs and future prospects if he assumed office in 2027.

Bensouda also pledged to address tribalism, presenting national unity and economic empowerment as central priorities of the coalition.