Rice farmers across The Gambia are facing a critical shortage of urea fertilizer, with reports to Foroyaa emerging in May. The scarcity is particularly impacting farmers in Lower Fulladou, who are urging immediate government intervention to prevent significant crop losses.
Bambo Ceesay, a rice farmer from Kerewan Samba Sire, noted the severity of the situation, stating, "We have an issue that we want to be raised to the government to know what is happening in our rice fields in Lower Fulladou. We have transplanted our rice, but there is no urea fertiliser." Ceesay emphasized the urgent need for aid, explaining, "We want the government to take a step and help us because our plants have reached a stage where they need fertiliser, but there is no urea." He added that some farmers could not work during the dry season due to the lack of urea. Ceesay warned, "Otherwise, poverty will strike us in Lower Fulladou," and pleaded, "Let the government please try and help us because we are really in need of their support now." He noted that while trucks delivered fertilizer, "they were only compound fertilisers, and some farmers are withholding their crops out of fear."
Farmers' Growing Concerns
The Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Security, Dr Demba Sabally, confirmed the ministry is aware of the shortage impacting rice farmers. Dr Sabally attributed the scarcity of urea, a nitrogen-rich fertilizer containing approximately 46% nitrogen, to global events. "The urea has not been delivered because urea always comes from the Gulf area, and it is one type of fertiliser that is highly affected by the current geopolitical crisis in the Iran-US-Israeli conflict," Dr Sabally stated. He added, "We are doing everything possible because of that shortage of urea. Our fertiliser supplier could not deliver."
The Minister explained that the supplier has secured a second source, but the cost of urea has increased significantly since the original contract was signed in November due to the conflict. "We have officially cleared GGC, their contract committee, to go into a renegotiation with this supplier to be able to adjust the price, accommodate the current realities, and be able to enable him to supply us the urea that this country needs," Dr Sabally said. He indicated that the negotiation was nearing finalization and that the adjusted price should allow the supplier to secure urea "in the very shortest possible time."
In the interim, some farmers have resorted to purchasing fertilizer from neighbouring Senegal. Ebrima Baldeh, a farmer from Kerewan Samba Sire, reported buying all his urea from Senegal. "There is no urea. As I speak to you, I have got all my fertiliser from Senegal. I bought a bag at D2,500 including transport from an agent in Senegal," Baldeh stated. He noted that prices for fertilizer from Senegal range from D2,500 to D3,000 per bag. "We are witnessing such a shortage this year. We all get ours from Senegal; however, some of us couldn’t get it early because of the high demand," Baldeh added.
Government Response and Actions
The supplier responsible for delivering fertilizer to The Gambia has provided NPK and organic phosphate fertilizers, but the critical urea component remains undelivered. Dr. Demba Sabally, the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Security, explained the delay, stating that urea typically originates from the Gulf region. "The urea has not been delivered because urea always comes from the Gulf area, and it is one type of fertiliser that is highly affected by the current geopolitical crisis in the Iran-US-Israeli conflict," Dr. Sabally affirmed. He clarified that global events have significantly impacted the supply chain for this specific fertilizer.
In response to the ongoing scarcity, the Gambian government has authorized the National Food Security Corporation, formerly known as the Gambia Groundnut Corporation, to renegotiate the existing contract with the supplier. This move aims to address the increased costs and secure the necessary urea for the country's farmers. Dr. Sabally indicated that these negotiations are nearing completion. He anticipates that the adjusted price, once agreed upon, will enable the supplier to procure and deliver the urea in the shortest possible timeframe, thereby alleviating the current shortage. The government's intervention seeks to stabilize the fertilizer supply, key for the upcoming agricultural seasons.
Impact and Farmer Appeals
Supplies of urea fertilizer remain unavailable in the Central River Region and parts of the Greater Banjul Area, exacerbating concerns among rice farmers. Some agriculturalists have already abandoned their rice fields, citing inadequate water supply in addition to the critical fertilizer shortage.
Sarjo Ceesay, a farmer from Brikamanding, alleged that a significant portion of the available fertilizer supply had been diverted. "We are seriously affected by this shortage," Ceesay stated, adding, "Even though it was distributed all the way to Kerewan France, some of us in the communities struggle to access it because a good quantity was smuggled into the Casamance region." Ceesay further claimed that this issue was systemic: "It was here, but the people entrusted with it always sell it outside the borders. If they supply 100 bags, the community will likely access only 40 per cent of it while the other 60 per cent goes to Casamance." This situation persists despite the Gambian government having signed a contract in November 2025 for the delivery of 3,000 metric tonnes of urea.