Gambia is Good

Gambia is Good, (GiG) is a cross-sector partnership between international development organisation, Concern Universal and Haygrove. The project is a social enterprise, enabling farmers in the Gambia to access the lucrative markets within the country's tourism industry, alongside researching and demonstrating innovative approaches that create new markets for Gambian farmers.

The Need:

In 2003, GiG was developed to combat two key problems in the Gambia:

1. Subsistence farmers were suffering from low yields, poor quality produce, low incomes, and lack of access to markets.
2. Gambia was importing most of it's fresh produce to service the tourism industry and domestic markets, therefore removing a potential vital source of income for local farmers.

Our Approach:

GiG's uses tourism, the lifeblood of the Gambian economy, to enable rural producers to access market opportunities through the production and supply of quality, locally produced fruits and vegetables. This has brought money directly into the areas most in need, with the positive impact extending from the urban coast into the poor rural communities up country.

Our Achievements:

GiG measures success through a triple bottom line approach:

• Financial – running GiG as a social enterprise
• Social – helping communities enjoy economic growth
• Environmental – promoting sustainable farming practices

Over 1,000 farmers have received training through GiG, (indirectly benefiting 5,000 people) with many being able to progress from subsistence to commercial farming through improved knowledge, skills and organization.

In 2008, Haygrove was proud to be one of the ten winners of the 2008 World Business and Development Awards (WBDA) for their part in creating Gambia is Good, in partnership with Concern Universal and DFID's Business Linkage Challenge Fund.