2.2.1 Governance of the Central Bank

During 2003 under review, the authorities became concerned about governance issues at the Central Bank. Recognizing that good governance was a prerequisite to the conduct of effective public policy, the authorities took prompt corrective actions to improve governance. The long drawn out audit of the financial statements for 2001 and 2002 were completed during the year. In addition, the long serving external auditor of the Central Bank was replaced and several senior officials of the bank were removed.

The Central Bank has recovered some of the amounts due from foreign exchange bureaus in relation to outstanding foreign exchange purchase contracts and will continue to take the actions required under the laws of The Gambia in relation to this issue.

A process of reviewing the Central Bank of The Gambia Act 1992 was commenced in March 2003. The Focus of the review was to bring the legal framework in line with current international best practice by making the Central Bank more autonomous in its administration and in its conduct of public policy. The review also sought to increase transparency and accountability of the Central Bank for its monetary policy performance as well as for its use of resources.

In addition, progress was made in reinforcing internal controls in the Bank. The main features of these changes were:

• Strengthening the Internal Audit function;

• Introduction of new foreign exchange bureau licensing regulations and a new licensing regime similar to that currently in place for commercial banks;

• Implementation of new procedures for foreign currency dealing which included further separation of duties between the Bank’s Foreign and Finance departments and verification by the Internal Audit Department;

• Implementation of reforms in the areas of monetary operations and accounting.

Some of these on-going reforms will however require capacity building efforts on the part of the Central Bank and technical assistance from Government’s development partners.

2.2.2. Country Financial Accountability Assessment (CFAA)

A multi-donor Country Financial Accountability Assessment (CFAA) was undertaken early during year supported by a multiplicity of donors; mainly the World Bank and DFID, which came up with a lot of important recommendations for improving financial accountability in Government. The recommendations and action plan are being implemented by government spearheaded by the Department of State for Finance and Economic Affairs.

Achieving social sector targets is a shared responsibility between Government and the Donor community as a result there is an enhanced dialogue to make operational the sector-wide approach discussed and endorsed by stakeholders in the PRSP. From the perspective of Donors, the Country Financial Accountability Assessment, conducted in 2003, contains a clear road-map for Government to address pending Public Financial Management reforms; from the perspective of Government, however, there is little human and technical capability to carry out and sustain those reforms, even in the presence of continued technical assistance from Donors.

The outstanding components of the PFMR comprises of (i) updating existing PERs in Agriculture, Education and Health and two more PERs in Local Government and Works & Infrastructure, (ii) strengthening macro-economic and social statistics, (iii) tracking poverty reducing expenditure, (iv) improving aid coordination, (v) improving the capacity of Government to produce and audit annual Government financial statements in a timely manner, (vi) strengthening the development budget process to ensure investment priorities are consistent with the PRSP strategy, and (vii) preparing a detailed and time-bound outline of required donor technical assistance. The CFAA exercise conducted by Donors helped to further highlight where attention should focus; however, as at the time of publication, there has not been any significant implementation of the CFAA recommendations.

2.2.3. Capacity building for economic management

The government, through the Capacity Building for Economic Management project (CBEMP), pursued reforms in this area by building and enhancing capacities of relevant government institutions. Strategies pursued include strengthening the Central Revenue and Customs and Excise Departments, and strengthening public expenditure management at DOSFEA through staff training and establishment of a Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF), procurement reform. Other areas of support for improved public expenditure management include the development and implementation of an Integrated Financial management Information System (IFMIS), strengthening the audit function and support to the personnel management Office (PMO). However, progress in implementation is well behind schedule but efforts are being made to improve and intensify implementation.

2.2.4. Privatisation and divestiture

The pace of the divestiture programme has remained slow during the course of 2003 although significant strides have been taken. One such development is the setting up of a Divestiture Implementation Task force which undertakes the detailed technical analysis related to divestiture.

Through a grant from the Public-Private Infrastructure Advisory Facility of the World Bank, a team of consultants is conducting a study on the regulatory framework for The Gambia. The primary objectives of this study are to support the Government in fine tuning the implementation plan for the divestiture program, help build consensus on the major regulatory options, and improve the design of the Multi-sector Regulatory Agency.

Many of the studies planned for the Track I Public Enterprises have failed to take off, pending the completion of the study on Private Sector Participation and Regulatory Framework for The Gambia. This study is currently ongoing and should be completed during the first quarter of 2004. Following this, the planned sector studies shall commence and divestiture of selected Track II Public Enterprises shall also be initiated.

One other major constraint faced by the Agency during 2003 is inadequate capacity. GDA has encountered major difficulties in filling existing vacancies explained mainly by the poor remuneration package. Staff attrition has also been a problem.

The divestiture of GGC was supposed to have been completed in 2003 but due to certain constraints faced by the GDA, this could not be achieved. However, government established and operationalised the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) in 2003.

2.2.5. Civil Service Reform

The Personnel Management Office is involved with public expenditure management and control as a statutory responsibility and to this sought and received support from the Capacity Building Economic Management Project (CBEMP) to finance some activities relating to public expenditure control especially as it relates to the personal emolument aspect of the national budget.

High on the PMO’s agenda is Public Sector Management and Administrative Reform. Although the Office is the lead department for such reforms, it does not have adequate resources or expertise to undertake a task of this kind nor does it assume that the expertise is readily available elsewhere in the Civil Service or indeed within The Gambia. If necessary financial resources are available, PMO plans to undertake a preliminary study in order to provide an independent and objective assessment of the current status of Administrative Reform in the Civil Service in The Gambia and to advise on the measures that now need to be taken to accurate this process.

The overall goal of the programme is to reform and restructure the public sector into a lean, affordable and efficient service that is able to formulate sound gender sensitive and equitable public policy and to ensure that it can effectively implement the policies. Staff audits and wages validation exercises are also major activities undertaken to stem wrongful payment of salaries to ghost workers thereby easing the pressure on the civil service wage bill.

A major preoccupation of PMO continues to be Civil Service Human Resources Development. The Government is therefore committed to making, continuously, within its means, appropriate funds available for training. In addition to the centralized funds provided for training in the estimates of Recurrent Revenue and Expenditure, PMO exploits opportunities offered by multi-sectoral and bilateral donor agencies. Within the context of the above and in its capacity as the parent institution of the Management Development Institute (MDI), PMO works with development partners for the institutional renewal and reassessment of MDI’s Mandate with a view to making it more responsive to the Civil Services Human Resource requirements.

However, a main constraint to the realisation of its objectives both in the short and long term is the high rate of attrition which is common to majority of Civil Service Departments. To find a way around this problem, a study is being undertaken with World Bank support through the CBEMP to examine the nature and causes of the problem as well as proffer solutions to it. A short listing and selection for procurement of consulting services for this activity has been undertaken and the study would hopefully begin soon.

2.2.6. Preparation and auditing of Government accounts

With the assistance of UK-DFID the backlog of un-audited accounts will be cleared in 2004 and the collective efforts to strengthen overall capacity at the NAO also enhanced on a sustainable basis.

2.3.1. Poverty focus of public expenditure

SPA II calls for a minimum allocation of 30% of the budget to direct poverty reducing activities. However as indicated in the analysis below, government is making strides to meet this but still falls short of the target especially in 2003 when PRSP expenditure constituted less than 15 percent of total expenditure. PRSP expenditure in 2002 was about 22 percent and the estimated expenditure level for 2004 is about 20 percent.

Domestically Financed PRSP Expenditure by Administrative Classification

(Percentage of total and sectoral expenditure)

Source: World Bank Public Expenditure Review June 2004

Domestically Financed PRSP Expenditure by Administrative Classification

(Percentage of total and sectoral expenditure)

Share of:			2002 Total	Sector	2003 Total	Sector	20041 Total	Sector
General Administration			1.13	3.46	0.87	2.67	1.08	3.69
	Office of President		0.19	4.11	0.12	3.20	0.28	8.22
	Judiciary		0.55	33.48	0.05	7.89	0.10	15.54
	Finances, Ec. Affairs		0.21	3.34	0.54	8.05	0.55	8.54
Economic Services			6.69	60.34	3.52	43.37	4.23	53.57
	Agriculture		1.99	70.00	2.09	64.11	2.22	76.63
	Fisheries, NR,, Environ.		1.17	86.26	0.86	81.11	0.76	75.70
	Pres. Aff., Wks, Com., Info.		3.50	63.44	0.51	17.97	1.18	36.93
Social Services			13.68	56.93	10.54	57.80	14.72	71.53
	Education		10.79	70.39	7.14	75.81	7.22	69.81
	Health & Social Welfare		2.89	35.18	3.39	40.60	7.43	75.61
Total			21.50		14.94		20.04
		Recurrent	13.60	15.30	11.70	12.60	14.97	16.43
		Development	7.91	70.93	3.23	45.37	5.07	56.85
Total net of debt service			30.32		24.34			33.60

Source: World Bank Public Expenditure Review June 2004

View Table

Domestically Financed PRSP Expenditure by Administrative Classification

(Percentage of total and sectoral expenditure)

Share of:			2002 Total	Sector	2003 Total	Sector	20041 Total	Sector
General Administration			1.13	3.46	0.87	2.67	1.08	3.69
	Office of President		0.19	4.11	0.12	3.20	0.28	8.22
	Judiciary		0.55	33.48	0.05	7.89	0.10	15.54
	Finances, Ec. Affairs		0.21	3.34	0.54	8.05	0.55	8.54
Economic Services			6.69	60.34	3.52	43.37	4.23	53.57
	Agriculture		1.99	70.00	2.09	64.11	2.22	76.63
	Fisheries, NR,, Environ.		1.17	86.26	0.86	81.11	0.76	75.70
	Pres. Aff., Wks, Com., Info.		3.50	63.44	0.51	17.97	1.18	36.93
Social Services			13.68	56.93	10.54	57.80	14.72	71.53
	Education		10.79	70.39	7.14	75.81	7.22	69.81
	Health & Social Welfare		2.89	35.18	3.39	40.60	7.43	75.61
Total			21.50		14.94		20.04
		Recurrent	13.60	15.30	11.70	12.60	14.97	16.43
		Development	7.91	70.93	3.23	45.37	5.07	56.85
Total net of debt service			30.32		24.34			33.60

Source: World Bank Public Expenditure Review June 2004

The 2003 poverty reducing expenditure report shows that the Estimates of Recurrent Revenue and expenditure with Development Expenditure 2003 uses a coding system to identify expenditures regarded as PRSP related (code 1) and those not directly related to poverty reduction (code 0). The total estimate on poverty reducing activities and programmes for the three social sectors; health, education and agriculture in the year 2002 and 2003 are D390.47 and D462.67 million respectively. These allocations include HIPC Funds for the period. Spending has been high in the years under review. In 2002 and 2003, actual expenditure reached D346.22 and D296.17 million. Inclusive of expenditure of HIPC funds of D36.58 and D73.09 million, total actual expenditure amounts to D382.79 and D369.26 million respectively.

In the year 2002 inclusive HIPC funds, 50 percent of poverty reducing expenditure was allocated to Education, 34 percent to Health and Social Welfare, 11 percent to Agriculture and Natural Resources and Environment. In 2003, 45 percent was allocated to Education, 37 percent to Health and Social Welfare, 14 percent to Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment.

The level of spending varies in the two periods under review. In 2002, actual expenditure from the GLF and HIPC in education, Health and Social Welfare, Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment represented 53, 35, 9 and 3 percent of the total actual expenditure in the three sectors. With domestic resources complemented by HIPC funds, the total HIPC expenditure for the period was D36.58, of which 53 percent, 36 percent, 6 percent and 4 percent was spent on Education, Health, Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment respectively.

The rate resource utilisation among the sectors varied significantly in 2002. In table 2.5A, it can be observed that Education spent 10% percent of its resources while Health, Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment spent 99, 76, and 72 percent respectively. The total resources allocated for poverty reduction represents 31 percent of the total estimates of government recurrent and development expenditure, while spending reached 30 percent (table 2.1A).

Table 2.5.a.

Summary of expenditure 2002: HIPC and GLF

(In millions of Dalasis)

Table 2.5.a.

Summary of expenditure 2002: HIPC and GLF

(In millions of Dalasis)

	2002
	EST1		ACTUAL		HIPC		TOTAL		RATE OF TOTAL RES. UTILISATION
DOSE	194.32	50%	184.52	53%	19.44	53%	203.96	53%	105%
DOSHSW	134.30	34%	120.26	35%	12.13	33%	132.38	35%	99%
DOSA	44.27	11%	30.96	9%	2.75	6%	33.71	9%	76%
NAT. RES	17.58	5%	10.48	3%	2.26	4%	12.74	3%		72%
TOTAL	390.47	100%	346.22	100%	36.58	100%	382.79	100%	98%
AS A % OF2 TOTAL EST.	31%						30.6%

View Table

Table 2.5.a.

Summary of expenditure 2002: HIPC and GLF

(In millions of Dalasis)

	2002
	EST1		ACTUAL		HIPC		TOTAL		RATE OF TOTAL RES. UTILISATION
DOSE	194.32	50%	184.52	53%	19.44	53%	203.96	53%	105%
DOSHSW	134.30	34%	120.26	35%	12.13	33%	132.38	35%	99%
DOSA	44.27	11%	30.96	9%	2.75	6%	33.71	9%	76%
NAT. RES	17.58	5%	10.48	3%	2.26	4%	12.74	3%		72%
TOTAL	390.47	100%	346.22	100%	36.58	100%	382.79	100%	98%
AS A % OF2 TOTAL EST.	31%						30.6%

Table 2.5.a.

SUMMARY OF EXPENDITURE (2003): HIPC AND GLF

Table 2.5.a.

SUMMARY OF EXPENDITURE (2003): HIPC AND GLF

	2003
	EST		Actual		HIPC		TOTAL		RATE OF TOTAL RES. UTILISATION
	208.65	45%	139.83	47%	13.02	18%	152.85	41%	73%
DOSE
DOSHSW	172.93	37%	117.87	40%	44.62	61%	162.49	44%	94%
DOSA	63.88	14%	30.54	10%	11.60	16%	42.14	12%	66%
NAT. RES.	17.21	4%	7.93	3%	3.85	5%	11.78	3%	68%
TOTAL	462.67	100%	296.17	100%	73.09	100%	369.26	100%	80%
AS A %OF TOTAL EST.	27%						22%

View Table

Table 2.5.a.

SUMMARY OF EXPENDITURE (2003): HIPC AND GLF

	2003
	EST		Actual		HIPC		TOTAL		RATE OF TOTAL RES. UTILISATION
	208.65	45%	139.83	47%	13.02	18%	152.85	41%	73%
DOSE
DOSHSW	172.93	37%	117.87	40%	44.62	61%	162.49	44%	94%
DOSA	63.88	14%	30.54	10%	11.60	16%	42.14	12%	66%
NAT. RES.	17.21	4%	7.93	3%	3.85	5%	11.78	3%	68%
TOTAL	462.67	100%	296.17	100%	73.09	100%	369.26	100%	80%
AS A %OF TOTAL EST.	27%						22%

Poverty spending in 2003 has been generally lower than in 2002. This is as a result of the lower rate of government revenue collection, high rate loan repayments, and the application of monthly cash budget. However, given government’s commitment to alleviate poverty, resource allocations to the social sectors have been much higher than the previous year. From a total recurrent and development resources allocation of D462.67 million, 45 percent was allocated to Education, 37 percent to Health and Social Welfare, 14 percent to Agriculture, 4 percent to Natural Resources and Environment.

Comparatively, total actual expenditure in 2003 reached D296.17 million of which 47 percent was sent in Education, Health and Social Welfare 40 percent, Agriculture 10 percent, and Natural Resources and Environment 3 percent respectively. In addition, HIPC resources spending received a higher share of D73.09 million as compared to D36.58 million in 2002. Comparatively, Education received 18 percent, Health and Social Welfare 61 percent, Agriculture 16 percent, Natural Resources and Environment 5 percent respectively.

The rate of total resource utilisation can be depicted in table 2.1B. It can be clearly seen that Education spent 73 percent of the its resources, Health and Social Welfare 94 percent, Agriculture 66 percent, Natural Resources and Environment 68 percent respectively.

3.1.1. Agricultural development strategies

Overall, the principal challenges for the sector remain to be reduction in endemic rural poverty and improvement in household food security through increased production and productivity. To militate against the numerous challenges, government remains resolutely committed to rigorously pursue those production promotion policies and programmes which continue to emphasize the provision of an enabling environment for poverty reduction and greater private sector participation, diversification of the production base, promotion of the agricultural producer organizations, increasing domestic savings and investment, attraction of foreign investment, optimal programmes/projects’ outputs, increased use of irrigation and other water harvesting techniques, operationalization of an agricultural development bank/fund, increased use of appropriate agricultural technology/mechanization, regular annual vaccination of livestock and surveillance of transboundry diseases, ensuring regular and timely supply of agricultural inputs (certified seeds, fertilizers, agro-chemicals, vaccines and veterinary drugs) on a sustainable basis with active private sector participation, provision of appropriate processing and storage facilities and gender (mainly women) mainstreaming in the development process. This year, government also provided certified seeds to potential farmers throughout the country for seed multiplication which will eventually lead to the formation of a National Seed Bank.

The priority areas for the sector are Soil fertility maintenance, Water control and management, Research and extension, Rural finance/micro-finance, Appropriate mechanization/irrigation, Processing, storage and marketing, Agricultural produce marketing financing, Availability of livestock feed and drugs, Mobility/Transportation, Biotechnology (GMOs and LMOs), and Institutional strengthening.

3.1.2. Agricultural policy and progress in implementing PRSP policies

In order to realize significant poverty reduction and household food security, the government continues to be resolutely committed and determined to accord high priority to the agriculture sector. The agriculture and natural resource strategy presented in SPA II is currently being reviewed which process will culminate in the preparation of a cabinet paper for approval by cabinet. The current review process will address amongst other things, the need for private sector participation in agriculture as well as the challenges of the poverty situation among the farming community.

3.1.3. Promoting private provision of inputs

The department of Agricultural services is promoting active private sector participation in the agriculture through the establishment and operationalisation of producer associations and group farms through out the country. These are closely associated with the President’s “back to the land” policy. Other key programmes and projects being implemented include The Lowland Agricultural Development project jointly funded by IFAD, ADB and the Government of the Gambia, The Rural Finance and Community Initiatives project funded by IFAD and the Government of the Gambia, the peri-urban smallholder improvement project funded by the ADB, The Pan African control of Epizootics project funded by the EU and the FAO initiated Special programme for food security co-funded with the Government of the Gambia.

Government has established a mechanization unit under the Department of Agricultural Services (DAS) to enhance and develop the sector’s output through improvement of farm activity, scheduling operations and also providing 50 additional tractors with accessories farmers for the 2003/2004 farming season.

3.1.4. Impact of the drought on Crop production & support for the 2003 planting season

With regard to agricultural production, the year 2002/2003 witnesseed an unprecedented difficult cropping season for most farmers in the country. Due to a prolonged dry spell experienced in most parts of the country, crop shortage and imminent food shortage became a reality. Consequently a national Emergency on Crop failure and Food Shortage was declared in November 2002. A National task force was thus setup to assess the situation and put in place appropriate measures to alleviate the plight of the citizenry particularly the rural communities; the most affected. In view of this grave situation, crop production drastically declined from 349,147 metric tons in 2001 to 208563 tons in 2002 representing a 40 percent decline in crop production as shown in the table below.

The problem was further aggravated by the fact that the quality of the produce also dropped due to poor crop development. In view of this, the government, in colloboration with its development partners endeavoured to assist in the provision and distribution of groundnut seeds gratis to farmers to ensure a successful current season (2003/2004). Thus 2300 metric tons of groundnuts, 20 metric tons of maize, 7 metric tons of findi and 40 metric tons of a new rice variety, NERICA were distributed among farmers. In addition fertilizer was provided to the farming community on sale. This support provided coupled with the good rains for the 2002 – 2003 cropping season resulted to improvements in production and productivity levels of all the major crops. Details of changes in production for 2001 - 2002 and 2002 – 2003 cropping seasons are shown in the table below.

Table 3.1.

Change in production from 2001 – 2002 and 2002 - 2003

Table 3.1.

Change in production from 2001 – 2002 and 2002 - 2003

Crop	2001-2002 % change	2002-2003 % change
Coarse grains	-29.3	79.5
Paddy Rice	-39.3	0.0
Cereals	-30.8	66.7
Groundnuts	-52.7	12.9
All crops	-40.3	47.5

View Table

Table 3.1.

Change in production from 2001 – 2002 and 2002 - 2003

Crop	2001-2002 % change	2002-2003 % change
Coarse grains	-29.3	79.5
Paddy Rice	-39.3	0.0
Cereals	-30.8	66.7
Groundnuts	-52.7	12.9
All crops	-40.3	47.5

Crop production 2001/2002 to 2003/2004

Citation: IMF Staff Country Reports 2006, 012; 10.5089/9781451815498.002.A001

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Crop production 2001/2002 to 2003/2004

Citation: IMF Staff Country Reports 2006, 012; 10.5089/9781451815498.002.A001

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Crop production 2001/2002 to 2003/2004

Citation: IMF Staff Country Reports 2006, 012; 10.5089/9781451815498.002.A001

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3.1.5. Development of irrigation schemes

The key to achieving the long desired goal of national food security for the Gambia lies in the lowland ecologies, which represent nearly one quarter of a million hectares of the most fertile and productive arable lands in the country. With the introduction of low cost technology which includes soil and water management techniques such as the construction of dykes to harvest rainwater and runoffs from uplands and for anti-salt intrusion, and the construction of bridges and causeways for easy access to tidal swamps, most of the fertile lowland ecologies can be quickly brought under production of rice and other high value crops and livestock. Enough lessons and experiences have been learnt from the Lowland Development Programme (LADEP) to make this a reality very quickly. Therefore, Government in collaboration with IFAD is in the process of preparing a Lowland Development Master Plan. The objective of the plan is to promote the sustainable development of the lowlands to stimulate the economic growth of the country in general and benefit the people whose livelihoods depend on the existing natural resources in particular. This is to be done with adequate safeguards for the environment. The role of the Master Plan is also to promote and encourage local initiatives as well as to attract domestic and international investment into the development of lowland areas.

Several micro-irrigation schemes for horticultural development located particularly in the western half of the country are being operationalised to ensure all year round production of fruits and vegetables. The major beneficiaries of such schemes are women.

3.1.6. Agricultural Research

The National Agricultural research Institute (NARI) has been involved in adaptive research on an improved rice variety NERICA for adoption in the Gambia. NERICA was introduced last year and preliminary results indicate high potentials in the country. Other crops being researched on include improved groundnut, cassava and bean varieties. Trial and adoption is being done in collaboration with programmes and projects such as the RFCIP project as well as NGOs and other agencies.

NARI has made significant progress in its search for technologies aimed at alleviating some of the crop production constraints of Gambian farmers. Some of these key production constraints include low and declining soil productivity, high incidence of pest and diseases, insufficient supply of quality seeds and unavailability of high yielding varieties to our farmers. To address these challenges, NARI embarked on research to restore soil fertility through agro-forestry techniques, 47 samples were received, analyzed and the results made available to the clients, researched into developing suitable drought tolerant crop varieties and also promoted the production of NERICA. To reduce drudgery and at the same time add value to product, NARI has developed water lifting devices and food processing equipment such as pedal and chain pumps and a motorized cassava processor which processes cassava into gari and chips.

On the basis of the assessment of the sector, the way forward for achieving the long desired goal of national food security, employment creation and increased incomes in the shortest possible time would require the implementation of the following measures:

3.3.1. Employment

The centrality of private development to poverty reduction has been accepted and adopted by government as enunciated in Vision 2020. The PRSP is seen as the first operational block of Vision 2020 and concentrates on only employment opportunities that will enhance poor’s productive capacities. Employment is both a source of income and social and economic empowerment. There is a strong positive correlation between unemployment, and poverty. The generation of increased and sustained employment has been a major objective of government and many direct and indirect initiatives have recently been undertaken to achieve employment promotion. As a first step in the fight against unemployment, under-employment and poverty, the government formulated the national employment policy, which is now translated into the National Employment Action Plan 2000 – 2003. the plan is yet to be implemented as funding is not available and thus the need to shift the time span for implementation.

The objective of the employment policy is to increase the viability of this sector as well as support the various components within it. The areas covered are:

• Income policy and social security as instruments for sustainable employment

• Employment and human resource development as a poverty reducing strategy

• Labour intensive and public works programme in national employment promotion

• Labour administration systems in the Gambia-an assessment for national employment design and implementation

• Population dimensions of employment with specific reference to youths and women employment

• Technical and vocational education for mass employment

• Institutional arrangements for implementation of a national employment policy

3.3.2. Medium and Small Enterprises

The Department of State for Trade Industry and Employment (DOSTIE) has formulated a Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) policy with the objective of improving the enabling environment for enterprise growth and performance of the sector. Small and micro enterprises are the main source of livelihoods for poor people and therefore deserve attention for the successful implementation of SPA II particularly with the erratic rainfall pattern of recent years as a result of which farmers had to divert their sources of livelihoods. SME and informal sector are part of DOSTIE’s comprehensive and holistic strategy of private sector development which includes trade, invest and employment promotion.

3.3.3. Tourism

Tourism is one of the levers of growth and contributes about 16 percent of GDP. It is an important sector for poverty reduction opportunities such as market outlets to small scale operators; fruit sellers, handicraft etc. as well as employment generation in hotels bars and restaurants. Tourist arrivals fell short of the anticipated figures for the 2002/2003-tourist season, which had some impact on the anticipated returns and related economic activities such as employment creation in hotels and small-scale businesses. However a tourism master plan is being developed and a vision for the next 20 years also already been done. Subcomponents of the strategic plan e.g. eco-tourism have also been developed and implementation started with the 2003 tourist season which began in October.

3.4.1. Social Welfare

The Department of Social Welfare continues to provide a welfare programme to support vulnerable and destitute groups within society. With HIPC funding, the department supported income-generating activities such as sale of phone cards for disabled members of society as an alternative to street begging. Other social welfare programmes being implemented now include emergency relief for victims of natural disasters such as fire and flood, food for work and the construction and operationalisation of a home for the elderly and destitute in 2003.

In order to realised significant poverty reduction within vulnerable groups and families the department provides rehabilitation services and supply mobility aid to the disabled members of society. Also 3 Disabled organisations were supported with D100,000 Dalasis each to set up small scale business for the benefit of over to of its members. This has helped to boost the activities of it’s the disabled persons and provided additional skills for the female wings of the organization, which resulted in significant increases in income.

Educational scholarships have been expanded to priority areas of orphans and vulnerable children and skills training for unskilled youths are also in progress. These activities are geared towards empowering disabled youths and children to engage in activities that could free then from the poverty cycle.

3.4.2. Foster care scheme

This scheme has a strong element of public/private/community partnership that is making it possible for children abandoned or in orphanage to be placed back to the care of foster mothers, mostly from within the family, after about eight weeks of protective care at the SOS Bakoteh Village. The scheme is serving as a responsive alternative to the costlier option to establishing formal institutionalised child pavement centre. It also encourages the public (non-relatives) to serve as foster mothers, and in this way, affords children in special circumstances of orphanage or abandonment the opportunity to grow and develop normal lives in stable and child-friendly environment. These mothers are given focused assistance under the social support programmes of government through DSW.

A study on orphans and other vulnerable children is under way the main thrust of this study is to determine the limited opportunities that will restrict individual development as this has repercussion for their community and country.

Orphans may be particularly vulnerable, but there are also other groups of children who may be disadvantaged that could suffer in similar way. These include disabled children, those living in a household headed by an elderly person or a child, those not living with their biological parents, and those living in households where adults are sick or may die. Children growing up in vulnerable circumstance may be affected by poor nutrition, in adequate access to education, lack of emotional support, and exploitation or abuse.

3.4.3. Social Fund for Poverty Reduction.

A study was commissioned to develop an operational strategy for a unified funding mechanism for community driven projects and programmes. The study also developed a protocol for the re-alignment of multi donor interventions with the programme areas identified in the PRSP as well as develop a plan of action for operationalising the strategy. The purpose is to improve efficiency and ensure greater impact at community level as well as save on operational and transaction cost of implementation of projects. The fund has five components namely; community development, employment creation, micro-finance, public works and human resource development. A draft o a cabinet to chart the way forward paper has been prepared. Also the pre-project work for a Community Driven Development (CDD) programme for the Gambia is about to start.

This is expected to become the Gambia’s main focus for support to community development programmes. Funding for establishing an appropriate trust fund mechanism, and setting up funds for the various activities to be included in the SDF is estimated to come to US$ 4.4 million over the period 2003-2005. Technical cooperation to strengthen capacity to undertake this is estimated US$ 0.5 million. Studies on modalities for the operation of a unified funding mechanism have been completed and plans are underway to operationalise it in line with upcoming projects such as the CDD programme.

4.1.1. Access to Basic Education

Considering the fact that education is a ‘merit good’ that should be accessed by all our classrooms construction and rehabilitation programmes are being intensified targeting the poor, the ‘unreached’ and pockets of resistant communities in the country. Every effort is also being made to utilise the existing physical and human resources more effectively and efficiently as well as making the relevant linkages with the Madrassa and the non-formal sectors.

The annual education data collection exercise for these 2 levels is now being institutionalise impacting on the gross enrolment ratio for the lower basic cycle which has now reached 91% with the madrassa contributing 10%. Following on the synchronisation of the curriculum, more and more English teachers are being posted to help the products of such schools fit better within the society. The status of some basic indicators in the education sector is shown in the table 4.1 below.

Table 4.1

Basic education in indicators

Table 4.1

Basic education in indicators

Indicator	Status (%)
Lower Basic education	2001/2002	2002/2003
GER excluding Madrassa	74	75
GER including Madrassa	85	90
% of female enrolment including Madrasa	48	49
% of female enrolment excluding Madrasa	46	44
Upper Basic education
GER excluding Madrassa	43	68
GER including Madrassa	66	72
% of female enrolment including Madrasa	42	44
% of female enrolment excluding Madrasa	28	42

View Table

Table 4.1

Basic education in indicators

Indicator	Status (%)
Lower Basic education	2001/2002	2002/2003
GER excluding Madrassa	74	75
GER including Madrassa	85	90
% of female enrolment including Madrasa	48	49
% of female enrolment excluding Madrasa	46	44
Upper Basic education
GER excluding Madrassa	43	68
GER including Madrassa	66	72
% of female enrolment including Madrasa	42	44
% of female enrolment excluding Madrasa	28	42

Some new basic cycles and senior secondary schools are being built furnished and equipped to enhance the coverage of education at these 2 levels. In addition also some junior and senior staff quarters are built to take care of the dire accommodation needs for teachers posted to deprived areas. As at September 2003 every child in grade 6 at the lower basic was guaranteed a place in grade 7, confirming the fulfillment of 9-years of un-interrupted basic education throughout the country

To provide the foundation for entry into the basic cycle an ECD policy has been developed, which adopts a holistic integrated approach to child development – Nutrition, Health and Education in a minimum package. A curriculum for the minimum package will be developed, and in poor communities centres will be attached to the existing lower basic cycles for support to ensure a smooth transition to grade one. The operational guidelines for ECD have been reviewed, a database established, and the ECD training programme enhanced.

Coverage of Scholarship Trust Fund for girls

Citation: IMF Staff Country Reports 2006, 012; 10.5089/9781451815498.002.A001

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Coverage of Scholarship Trust Fund for girls

Citation: IMF Staff Country Reports 2006, 012; 10.5089/9781451815498.002.A001

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Coverage of Scholarship Trust Fund for girls

Citation: IMF Staff Country Reports 2006, 012; 10.5089/9781451815498.002.A001

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Note:

Information for the other two regions (regions 1 and 2), covered by the President’s Empowerment of Girls Project, were not available for the planning unit of DOSE.

In the formal school system the number of double shift classes and multi-grade teaching has been expanded and increased to address the issue of equity between boys and girls and a number of interventions are being pursued to eliminate the disparity. Providing basic quality education for girls is a priority of the education policy. Education is made free for all girls in deprived areas through a number of schemes funded by the World Bank UNICEF, the President’s Girls Empowerment Programme, and a number of other international sponsors. A safe and supportive learning environment is being provided for girls in addition to supporting parents to allow their children to go to school. Details are shown below.

4.1.2 Quality of Teaching and Learning

Although quality remains an elusive concept, which is difficult to define but it is easy to identify when one sees it a multi-pronged approach is being used to tackle the quality issues in the education system. By quality we mean a system that develops, flexibility imagination, adaptability, confidence, concentration, motivation, open mindedness, lateral thinking, skills, knowledge and attitudes appropriate for what Gambia is striving to be. It enables the individual to apply what he has learned to different situations, be able to improve his own circumstances through personal effort and be able and motivated to continue learning

The number of textbook per pupil is being increased from 2: 1 to 1:1 by the end of the policy period and textbooks are provided free for girls at the upper and senior secondary level. Inspection and continuous in-service of teachers are currently being intensified as a means of motivating them to deliver their service better. This year’s budget has also made provision for the application of Learning Achievement Targets (LATs). At the Upper Basic Level it is expected that children will continue to write GAMBECE exam.

The outcome of these 2 different activities will provide us with the latest benchmark on quality. In the last LAT test 90% of the learners did not achieve the mastery of 70% in the subjects tested. The increase in the resource allocations, the numerous, and varied interventions that have taken place in the sector could lead to some modest improvements in the quality of teaching and learning.

The provisions in the government budget plus support from other donors have made improvement in these areas possible. The management status of schools at the regional level has been upgraded to directorship level to enhance supervision, M & E, and decision making at that level.

Higher Teachers Certificate Teachers are being offered further training to degree level and the first batch of students that graduated this year have been re-deployed to Basic cycle schools, and management positions within the Department of State for Education, to enhance the quality of teaching and learning in the system.

The Department’s regular Senior Management Meeting (SMT) and Co-ordination Committee Meeting (CCM) are held in different parts of the country to provide those at the centre including the Secretary of State for Education, the Permanent Secretary, Directors and other relevant heads of institutions to experience the realities on the ground. By so doing their capacities to make informed decisions would be enhanced

4.1.3 Teaching and Learning Materials

In a bid to address the issue of quality and relevance of the teaching and learning materials the curriculum at the level of the basic education has been revised with emphasis on the strengthening of school-based assessment system and making it more relevant to the learning needs of the children.

In the Quality and Relevance component, expenditure in this activity has made it possible to review the curriculum for grades 1-4, and has also evaluated the options for introducing instruction in the national languages for grades 1-2. Furthermore, the syllabus and textbooks for all subjects has been revised, free textbooks recycling scheme introduced for grades 1-6, and a continuous assessment manual for teachers has been developed.

4.1.4 Non-Formal Education

In the area of Adult and Non-Formal education the programmes developed target the 15+ and out-of-school youth, and they vary partially according to the target groups, age, sex, occupation and other needs. More and more adult are now acquiring functional skills that are useful in family life (HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis, prevention, household budget, health, childcare, nutrition and occupational skills)

4.1.5 Skills Training/Appropriate Technology

Under the skills training and appropriate technology the government in December 2002 through the National Assembly established the National Training Authority, which is private led and autonomous to serve as an observatory for co-ordination of all training institutions and regulate skills training and Appropriate technology in the country. The priority areas for the National Training Authority are:

• The training and re-training of technical teachers/instructors in the different trade areas i.e. Electric/Electronic, Building construction, Carpentry, and joinery, Welding and Fabrication etc.

• Building the apprenticeship programme to a very high level to meet up the labour requirements of the country

• Encourage the establishment of more training institutions.

• Encourage the exchange of instructors in skills training from the different levels of training in the country

All these activities are geared towards empowering the youths of the country to engage in activities that could free them from the poverty cycle. The government/private sector partnership will make these programmes more viable and sustainable.

Apart from identifying key priority areas to address these shortcomings, attempts have been made within these priority areas to focus government expenditures on certain activities that have a high potential of reducing poverty. For example, utilising existing physical and human resources more efficiently and establishing linkages between Madrassas (Islamic Schools) and formal basic education are specific activities aimed at increasing access to basic education. An analysis of expenditures on this programme area shows how much government has spent on poverty reducing activities under this particular programme component.

4.1.6. Education Outputs/outcomes

Under Basic Education, the expenditure in poverty for 2001 has resulted in the following outcome/output.

• Increased number of double shift classes;

• The expansion of multi-grade teaching;

• Increase in teacher to student ratio;

• Increase in the assignment of English teachers to Madrassas (Islamic schools);

• Commenced Education data collection for Madrassa Institutions;

• Increase in the number of needy and meritorious students assisted;

• Constructed and rehabilitated classrooms and staff quarters, and purchased furniture.

• Increased the Gross enrolment rate and number of unqualified teachers.

Girls’ education is one of the main priorities of education policy. One of the objectives is to increase the overall enrolled in the Institution, and the poverty reducing expenditure in this component has resulted to the following outputs:

• Girls enrolment rate has been increased;

• Scholarship has been expanded to priority regions;

• A safe and supportive learning environment for girls provided e.g. by constructing separate toilets where the facility was lacking;

Secondary Education is another vital component in education. Under the budget provision, spending in this activity has resulted in the following output, double Shift classes were increased; new secondary schools constructed, furnished, and equipped; higher Teacher Certificate teachers were trained and upgraded to degree level, while Secondary school graduates are trained to degree level as well.

4.2.1. Access to basic health care

The overall Government objective in investing in health is to improve the quality of life of the population for greater productivity. Whilst investing in health as an entity is considered in the PRSP/SPA II as a priority for poverty reduction, however some health activities are considered the real priorities for poverty reduction. Making quality basic health care package accessible to the citizenry and available to the rest of the population is considered the primary health intervention for poverty reduction. The key elements of this package are:

• Access to reproductive health care for the women population.

• Access to an integrated management of Childhood illness (IMCI) for the 0-5 tears.

• Access to a comprehensive adolescent health package including HIV/AIDS prevention and control, prevention and control of other sexually transmitted infections and counseling on reproductive health.

• Disease prevention and control, this includes the prevention and control of both communicable and non-communicable diseases.

• Access to other essential clinical care.

The Department of State for Health and Social Welfare has been pursuing this objective through the following major strategies:

• Rehabilitation and upgrading of the existing dispensaries and sub dispensaries to standards minor health centers.

• Construction of additional minor health centers in the rural community

• Re-organise and strengthen the referral system including the development of a sustainable ambulance policy.

• Accelerated development of health human resources within the overall national human resources development objective.

• Developing and pursuing policies that would facilitate greater private sector provision of essential clinical care for the Greater Banjul population.

• Re-organise and strengthen preventive health services.

• Develop a workable and effective regulatory framework.

• Develop an effective and sustainable health management information system.

The ultimate outcomes for the investment are reduction in overall morbidity and mortality in the population; including infant child and maternal mortality, and improvement in the population average life expectancy. However, whilst the above indicators could be considered that best impact measures for the annual investment in health, it is often not practicable to measure these indicators on an annual basis. A number of useful intermediate outcomes measured on an annual basis and these include:

• Increase in geographic access to the essential care package, Minor health care ratio (target 15,000 population) and distance to travel to health centre (target 5 km).

• Percentage increase in the utilization of the health centre.

• The quality of the health care package provided.

• Level of financial risk protection for the poor in accessing health care.

• Percentage decrease in population morbidity, including:

• Percentage decrease in malaria prevalence.

• Percentage decrease in HIV/AIDS and other STIs prevalence

• Percentage decrease in new cases of tuberculosis.

Table 4.4.

Coverage of health facilities

NB: Based on 2003 provisional census data, Quality of health care is measured by This is measured by the availability of required staff (against the staffing norms), skilled attendance to birth, availability of the required equipment and consumables; drugs, and vaccines, the state of the health facility infrastructure, availability of referral services.

Table 4.4.

Coverage of health facilities

Division	Basic health facility Coverage (%)		Village Health Service Coverage (%)
	2001	2002
Upper River Division	36	43	67.2
Central River Division	57	57	78.0
Lower River Division	60	60	140.6
North Bank East	42	70	91.2
North Bank West	31	47	135.8
Western Division	31	37	40.8
Kanifing Municipality	9	9	-
Banjul City Area	89	89	-

NB: Based on 2003 provisional census data, Quality of health care is measured by This is measured by the availability of required staff (against the staffing norms), skilled attendance to birth, availability of the required equipment and consumables; drugs, and vaccines, the state of the health facility infrastructure, availability of referral services.

View Table

Table 4.4.

Coverage of health facilities

Division	Basic health facility Coverage (%)		Village Health Service Coverage (%)
	2001	2002
Upper River Division	36	43	67.2
Central River Division	57	57	78.0
Lower River Division	60	60	140.6
North Bank East	42	70	91.2
North Bank West	31	47	135.8
Western Division	31	37	40.8
Kanifing Municipality	9	9	-
Banjul City Area	89	89	-

NB: Based on 2003 provisional census data, Quality of health care is measured by This is measured by the availability of required staff (against the staffing norms), skilled attendance to birth, availability of the required equipment and consumables; drugs, and vaccines, the state of the health facility infrastructure, availability of referral services.

4.2.2. Quality of Basic Health Care

The increase in facilities in the North Bank Division was due to the upgrading of the Farafenni Major Health Centre to a hospital and the construction of a new health facility at Illiasa. This increase was intentional given the poor condition of the road in this part of the country. Effect is improved access to health care through reduced cost of travel and reduction in time taken to travel to health facilities. Also, the health facility has strengthened clinical services in that area; the biggest refugee camp has just been recently moved to this area.

The village health services is undergoing countrywide re-organization and linking it to the Bamako Initiative (BI). Also a health financing policy to support financing of health care particularly for the poor is being developed as well as a financial sustainability plan for vaccines. In terms of human resource development, implementation of the plan to double the annual intake of nurse trainees has just started. To deal with the high attrition rate and brain drain, the Department of State for Health is in the process of negotiating some form of incentives for those skilled personnel in the rural areas. Also there is a strategy in place to increase the output of nurses from health training institutions. The status of some basic health indicators is shown below.

Table 4.5:

Basic indicators in health

Table 4.5:

Basic indicators in health

Indicator	2000	2001	2002	2003
Infant Mortality (IMR) (per 1000 live births)	92	84	-	-
Under Five Mortality (per 1000 live births)	147 (1993 census)	135	-	-
Maternal Mortality (per 100,000 live births)	1050 (1990 MM Survey)	730	-	-
Immunization coverage (0-11) months	68.6%	61.8%	72.8%	-
DPT 3	74.4%	86.5%	93.2%	-

View Table

Table 4.5:

Basic indicators in health

Indicator	2000	2001	2002	2003
Infant Mortality (IMR) (per 1000 live births)	92	84	-	-
Under Five Mortality (per 1000 live births)	147 (1993 census)	135	-	-
Maternal Mortality (per 100,000 live births)	1050 (1990 MM Survey)	730	-	-
Immunization coverage (0-11) months	68.6%	61.8%	72.8%	-
DPT 3	74.4%	86.5%	93.2%	-

The availability of information to update health indicators is a major problem. The Department of state for Health is making efforts to improve the situation but meanwhile, most of the mortality and fertility will be updated once the detailed analysis of the 2003 census is completed. In addition the department plans to conduct a Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) in 2004.

The decline in IMR and U5MR can be attributed to the government’s efforts to expand the health services to the entire population and especially to the very high coverage of the EPI programme. Fully immunized infant coverage was 83.7% in 1997 but decline in funding to the programme contributed to the drop in coverage. There are still pockets of low coverage in some areas of the country. To increase coverage and quality of immunization, there is need for a sustainable financing plan and this includes continuous training of health workers, and education of the communities especially mothers.

4.3.1. Roads infrastructure expansion and upgrading

The development of the country’s road infrastructure involves not only the construction and maintenance of highways, feeder and municipal roads, but also the provision of transport services as a complementary factor. The provision of such infrastructure facilitates increases access to basic social services and also resolves problems of rural accessibility.

4.3.2. Road Infrastructure

The road infrastructure has been greatly improved during the last two years especially in the urban areas where major roads have been upgraded with the addition of street lights. In addition there was rehabilitation of a number of access roads in the Kanifing Municipality was undertaken in the recent past and the rehabilitation of another nine roads in the Municipality is already underway. Road infrastructural developments during the period include the following:

• 120 Km faraffeni- Laminkoto stretch

• 58 km Kerewan – Farafenni Road

• Serre- Kunda – Mandina ba Road

• 141 km Mandina- ba- Soma Road

4.3.3. Public Transport

In May, 2003, buses donated to The Gambia were deployed by the Gambia Public Transport Corporation (GPTC) in its urban service and refurbished buses deployed in the rural areas to facilitate wider coverage. The Corporation acquired more buses has since deployed these buses in the school transport and urban services, thus making more buses available. The increase in the fleet size coupled with progress in the road maintenance/rehabilitation has led to an expansion of rural services. It is envisaged that as progress is realised in road rehabilitation works, new rural services will be established along both banks of the river.

4.3.4. River Transport/Ferries

Starting February, 2002 the Gambia Ports Authority(GPA), was mandated to operate the ferry services. The authority entered into a contract for the construction of three ferry crafts which would add to the exusting fleet. Work on these ferries is still in progress.

i) Increasing Access to Basic Telephone Services

Cognizant of the fact that the availability of an efficient and affordable telecommunication service is an ingredient for promoting socioeconomic and political development of any nation, and that such service must be universally accessible and cost-effective, The Gambia Telecommunication Company Ltd (GAMTEL) has continued to expand the telecommunication infrastructure to the under-served areas, notably the rural areas. GAMTEL has continued to extend the fibre-optic cable and expand its functionality around the country.

The continuing connection of villages, establishment of public telephone booths and the proliferation of private tele-centres around the country have expanded access to telephone services. Fixed line telephone penetration rate (tele-density) in the country, that is the number of telephone lines per 100 inhabitants, is 3.1% (2003) compared to 2.9% in 2002 and 2.7% in 2001. With GSM combined, the tele-density rises to 11.8% for 2003, 9.4% for 2002 and 5.55% for 2001.

The current AIRSPAN Project for the north bank of the country and areas around Basse, (both North and South Banks of URD) using wireless technology (WLL) will connect 600 villages across the region. Already, 24 villages have been connected. Other network expansion projects by both fixed line and GSM operators scheduled to start this year will extend not only access to telephone services, but also the range of services available on the network.

ii) Access to Information and the new technologies

Access to information using the new technologies like the Internet continues to increase with the expansion of the Internet backbone bandwidth. the GAMTEL service centers and the private tele-centres in rural towns and villages offer access to multi-media functionalities including access to information on the Internet.

In collaboration with the Department of state for Education (DOSE) access to the Internet and other information and communication technologies (ICTs) by secondary school students has increased the establishment of computer laboratories in the secondary schools.

The dissemination of development information and other good practices via The Gambia Radio and Television Services (GRTS) especially television programming, has suffered a set back in 2003 due to obsolete transmission and studio equipment. As a result, large swathes of the rural areas do not receive television signals. An emergency rescue package is expected to restore signals to these areas and strengthen those to the urban and peri-urban areas in early 2004. This notwithstanding, more sustainable and long-lasting solutions need to be put in place to enable the national broadcaster to continue its functions of informing, educating and entertaining the citizenry.

5.1.1. Local Government System

Under the new system, the role of Area Councils has become important, complex and diversified. They are now full stakeholders in social and economic development and are expected to full-fill the government mission of continuity, presence and proximity in the implementation of national policies and the delivery of public services in their areas of administrative control. Through decentralization the local government authorities are now expected to consolidate the spatial and institutional environments for the performance of economic operators, guarantee equal access to social services and ensure the consistency of urban development, social action, fight against poverty and social exclusion. The integration of the local potential into the new national strategies of development is the basis of local government policy and it is recognized in particular that, local government authorities need to be able to meet fully the demands relating to service delivery, local development, democracy and participation.

5.1.2. Current Challenges

Much progress has been achieved in the provision of the enabling legislative and institutional reforms for decentralisation, but some of the legislative policies and institutional arrangements prescribed in LG Act 2002 and the Local Government Finance and Audit Act 2004 however still remain to be fully established and operational. In the context of the provisions on Planning and Development, for example, the process has started in setting up planning units in the councils, with responsibility for preparing council development plans and providing other related planning services. The creation of these units is no mean task, requiring extra human and financial resources as a matter of urgency. At the lower levels, Multi-disciplinary Facilitation Teams (MDFTs) were proposed an out reach strategy for mobilizing and guiding extension resources in the Wards and Villages. They have been given an important role in the training of the VDCs and WDCs in the participatory planning and development process. The draft MDFT policy has proposed a horizontal approach to extension and out reach that would see all extension agents (not only DCD) adopting this methodology. For this approach to be coherent and effective each line ministry will have to decentralize and their agents come under local management. In line with this, the MDFT policy needs to be revisited and made consistent with the human and financial resources base of LGAs. Prior to moving ahead with the approach, there is a need to reconsider its const effectiveness and efficiency.

The prescribed transfer of financial responsibility and resources to councils implies the assumption of ownership by councils of existing Local Government Assets in their jurisdictions. The Acts also provide for larger institutional capacities at the level of local government authorities including total oversight of the organisations, management, and development of human resources. According to the Act, a local government service commission shall be established at each council with responsibility for overseeing appointments, promotions, development and discipline of council staff. This is to be based on a local government service scheme. The service commissions and scheme need to be set up and functional.

i) Micronutrient Control Program

Under the Micronutrient Control Program, vitamin A deficiency (VAD), iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) and iodine deficiency disorders (IDDs). The objective is to reduce morbidity and mortality among children under five years old targeting children under five years and postpartum women within eight weeks after delivery.

Supplementation of children under five with vitamin A capsule is in progress. This is done through the routine supplementation at the MCH clinics, National Immunisation Days (NIDS) held once a year and the Nutrition Surveillance Program, which is conducted twice in the year in more than 400 PHC villages covering more than 50,000 children under five. At the moment 49 health facilities including all the hospitals and major health centres are implementing the vitamin A supplementation program. The supplementation of post-partum mother’s is done within eight weeks after delivery is also in progress.

One of the major constraints faced by the program is the high staff turnover being experienced by the Department of State for Health (DoSH). Staff already trained either leave the service or are transferred to other stations. This has really hampered the program because the new staff who are not trained do not issue the vitamin A capsules or record it on the infant welfare card.

ii) Salt Iodisation Program

The improved the health and nutritional status of the Gambian population, especially children and women. Production of quality salt has begum in a number of salt mines and a National Association of Salt Producers and Traders with the membership drawn from all parts the country has been established. A behavior change communication package promoting the consumption of Iodised salt has been developed and is currently being aired as spots on both the TV and Radio.

iii) Iron Deficiency Anaemia (IDA)

The objective is to prevent and control Anaemia and thereby contribute to the reduction of maternal mortality, targeting mainly pregnant mothers. NaNA continues to procure iron/folate tablets to complement the Department of State of Health’s (DOSH) effort in meeting the requirements. The main constraint encountered in reducing anaemia and its negative consequences is the non-compliance of the pregnant women to consume the tablets and the low intake of iron rich foods. Thus the current strategy has to be improved especially the counseling of pregnant women by nurses at health facilities and other avenues to deliver the supplements.

iv) Infant and Young Child Nutrition

This programme aims to improve infant and young child feeding practices through the promotion of exclusive breastfeeding and the introduction of complementary foods at six months and continue breastfeeding up to two years or beyond. Training of VSGs continues and during the period under review an additional 237 VSGs from 40 communities in the URD and the North Bank Division have been trained on the BFCI package. The VSGs are trained on maternal nutrition and infant and young child feeding practices among other things.

Work on the moringa study, which is a joint collaborative study between the ITC and NaNA, is underway. The main thrust of this study is to determine whether adding moringa powder to the complementary foods of the children has any effect on their growth and health. Some materials/equipment for the rehabilitation of severely malnourished children in hospitals and health facilities have been procured and supplied. This is in line with the integrated management of childhood illnesses.

v) BFCI

The Baby Friendly Community initiative (BFCI), a comprehensive community based health and nutrition package aimed at improving the health and nutritional status of women and children, targets members of the communities especially women and children.

The increase in the coverage of the communities implementing the BFCI led to an increase in the prevalence of children under six months who have been exclusively breastfed. Environmental sanitation in these communities have also improved, but if the environmental sanitation aspect of the BFCI program is to have more impact, sanitary materials have to be provided to the communities and this would require the commitment of more funds.

The implementation of some components in the BFCI such as the practice of exclusive breastfeeding earlier faced some resistance from some people in the communities. However, through persistent counseling and training there is increased knowledge on infant and young child feeding issues and a gradual change of attitude. Amongst the lessons learnt was that the inclusion of men as members of the village support groups has also increased knowledge and sense of responsibility towards maternal, infant and adolescent nutrition. It was also realised that men are key in decision making in the communities even on issues regarding breastfeeding.

a) Reducing debt service through fiscal discipline should be a top priority.

Large debt payments have crowded out other expenditures, in particular PRSP expenditures. There is need to achieve a minimum primary balance of 3.0 percent in the long run in order to maintain fiscal and debt sustainability. Primary balance greater than 3.0 percent will allow the authorities to reduce the debt level. It will also require improving the coordination of monetary and fiscal policies as high interest rates are the main cause of the large domestic debt burden.

b) PRSP priorities need to be further reflected in the national budget.

The decline in the share of recurrent expenditures on social services, particularly for the Education sector, needs to be halted and reserved. Expenditures for government bodies directly supporting improvement of governance should be increased. They include National Assembly, the National Audit Office, DOS for Justice and Judiciary. Expenditures on non-Defense General Administrations should be reduced in order to release more resources for PRSP priority expenditures.

c) Major imbalances in the structure of the budget needs to be adjusted.

First, the imbalance between current and capital expenditures should be addressed. Given the constraints in increasing current expenditures, government should considered reducing the rate of increase of capital expenditures. Second, major declines in salary and wages should be achieved through civil service reform and not simply by real wage reductions. Otherwise, civil service morale and performance will be adversely affected, and efforts to improve public financial management will be undermined.

d) Phase out cash budgeting but in line with improvement in budget management.

The current cash rationing system should be eventually replaced by a more conventional budget system, but the discontinuation of cash budgeting should be linked with improvements in overall budget management, particularly the strengthening of internal control and internal auditing. In the interim, the authorities should minimize the adverse effects of cash budgeting on service delivery by various measures, including by refocusing the centralized cash budgeting committee (NEFCOM) on issuing and enforcing broad cash ceilings instead of approving each payment item.

e) The MTEF and IFMIS work plans should be revised.

The original schedule is no longer realistically feasible. The revision of the work plan needs to reflect the fact that there has been long delays due to local capacity constraints, lack of commitment, and lack of incentives. The sectoral PERs will need to be updated and expanded. The MTEF will be difficult to implement with the cash budgeting system in operation.

f) Recurrent expenditures for the social sectors should be increased, particularly for Education.

For Education, the quality of teaching should be improved through training and performance monitoring of teachers, and higher allowance for teachers should be considered to reduce attrition. For Health, administrative capacity needs to be strengthened, personnel improved through financial and non-financial incentive schemes, and the supply of drugs increased and better managed.

The proposed research agenda including: implementation of PRSP programs and activities; poverty assessment using the 2003 census and household survey; agricultural sector study; update of the Development Policy Review; and assessment of the tax policy and regime needs to be implemented during the upcoming years.

g) Poverty targets no longer feasible

The results of the poverty analysis of the PER point to a scenario that both the MDG targets as well as the targets in the PRSP are not likely to be achieved during the period. Also given that the macro-economic targets set for the period are way off tract at the moment coupled with the relapses in implementation of the work plan, the most feasible thing to do now is to lengthen the time horizon required to achieving the stated objectives of the PRSP.