Gajigo Says Barrow Government Has Failed to Make Gambia Self-Sufficient in Rice

By Fatou Sillah

Dr. Ousman Gajigo, an economist and politician, criticized President Adama Barrow’s government on Sunday over The Gambia’s continued reliance on imported rice, arguing that the country has the land, water and farming capacity to produce far more of the staple locally.

Speaking at the Coalition 2026 Unity Rally at Brikama SSP, Dr. Gajigo said roughly 90 of every 100 bags of rice consumed in The Gambia are imported, a dependence he attributed to inadequate government investment in agriculture and other productive sectors.

“Today, of every 100 bags of rice in this country, 90 of them are imported from outside The Gambia,” he said. “Why is that happening when we are a country that can harvest our own rice?”

Dr. Gajigo said The Gambia possesses many of the basic resources needed to increase domestic rice production, including fertile land, access to water, and experienced farmers. What has been lacking, he argued, is a government willing to make sustained investments in those resources.

He also accused the Barrow administration of failing to make effective use of development assistance intended to strengthen key sectors of the economy. He said public resources that could be directed toward development were instead being spent on expensive vehicles and other priorities that do little to expand the country’s productive capacity.

Dr. Gajigo used the rally to make a broader case for political change ahead of the December presidential election, arguing that presidents should not remain in office indefinitely. Pointing to neighboring Senegal and other countries with presidential term limits, he said a decade in power should be enough for any leader.

“President Barrow, your time is up,” Dr. Gajigo said. “Gambians voted for you in 2016 and 2021, but they are the ones that are going to say to you that 2026 is your last term in this country.”

He urged Gambians to view the 2026 presidential election as an opportunity not only to choose a new government but also to change the country’s approach to economic development, particularly agriculture and food production.