Highlights:

As of May 31st, the country’s average rainfall for the 2025 season stands at 25.0 mm, 237% higher than the same period last year (7.4 mm), but 2.7% below the long-term average (1991 - 2020), which is 25.7 mm.

Highlights:

Furthermore, the 2025 season is expected to be more variable than 2024, with a likely late to normal onset, flash flood events, and short to medium-duration dry spells early in the season, followed by longer or normal dry spells later.

General Situation:

• As the rainy season approaches, farmers across the country are busy preparing their land for the upcoming cropping season. This preparation involves clearing unwanted vegetation such as grasses, stumps, and crop residues from their farms to facilitate easier cultivation.
• At the same time, many farmers are maintaining their simple farm tools, including sine hoes, seeders, and others, 7 Early Warning Bulletin for Food Security in The Gambia7 in readiness for the season. These activities are crucial to ensuring smooth and efficient operations during land preparation, planting, and other farming activities.
• In the West Coast Region, the digital registration of farmers, who are to be supported with inputs for the coming cropping season is currently underway. This initiative is part of Project 2 of the Programme to Strengthen Food and Nutrition Security in the Sahel (P2P2RS) and is being implemented by extension workers across the region.
• Regional extension workers are actively engaged in sensitizing and registering farmers on the E Extension platform
• Awareness creation on E extension platform In the Central River Region, some farmers engaged in dry season rice cultivation are currently busy with transplanting. Crop phenology varies across the area, while a few fields in Janjanbureh have reached maturity, others in Jahally are at the panicle initiation stage. Across the country,
• Women gardeners are actively involved in vegetable production. While some are weeding their plots, others are harvesting and selling their produce, either at local markets or directly at the farm gate.

Pests and diseases situation

• There are currently no major pest or disease outbreaks reported. However, an incident involving red spider mites was reported in a garden supported by the GIRAV matching grant in Fass Chamen, Fogni Bondali
• The regional plant protection officer is in contact with the affected farmer to provide appropriate advice on control measures.