Story
11 May 2026
How Marie Found Her Market
In the quiet farming community of Njawara, Marie Jobe spends most of her mornings tending to her small plot at the Njawara Women's Community Garden. Since 2021, she has been growing tomatoes, green pepper, cauliflower and other vegetables, produce that supports both herself and her family. The garden, shared with dozens of other women from the community, has become both a source of income and a space of collective effort, where women cultivate side by side and share the daily work of feeding their households.Like many women producers across rural Gambia, Marie worked hard but faced challenges that limited her income and growth. Long hours in the field, the rising cost of inputs, and unpredictable weather were part of the daily reality. Yet despite her dedication, the returns from her labour rarely reflected the effort she put in.Her biggest struggle was access to bigger and better markets. "We only depended on the local market," she recalled. "The prices there are not good for us. We always sell at a low price." With limited buyers and an abundance of similar produce from neighbouring growers, prices often fell below what was needed to sustain her work. At times, vegetables she had carefully tended for weeks would spoil before they could be sold.Marie also lacked information on quality control, basic food safety and production planning, knowledge that would help her grow the right crops at the right time to meet demand. Without access to such information, planting decisions were often guided by habit rather than market signals, leaving small producers vulnerable to losses.To address these gaps, efforts are underway to connect small producers like Marie with hotels, restaurants and other businesses in the tourism sector, a market segment that offers more stable demand and better prices for quality produce. The initiative aims to strengthen the link between rural women farmers and the wider Gambian economy, while improving food safety standards along the value chain.Marie was among the farmers trained in production calendars, market access and food safety. The training brought together women from across the area to learn practical skills they could apply directly to their plots and their businesses.The training gave her a new perspective. "We learned basic food safety in production and quality control," she said. "I also learned the production cycle, when to plant so that you can sell at a good price." For Marie, the lessons have changed not only how she farms, but how she sees her role as a producer, one whose work has value beyond the local market, and whose skills can connect her to new opportunities.
