Will Gambia obtain its food self sufficiency initiative

Question

Will Gambia obtain its food self sufficiency initiative?  The Gambia spends about D800 million (about US$20 million) annually to import rice, the country's staple food which is considered as a huge expenditure for a country that has the potentials to feed itself through mass participation in agriculture.In this regard, President Jammeh has declared 2016 as the target year for rice self-sufficiency. The Vision 2016 launched in 2013, not only serves as a catalyst for the eradication of hunger, but also will ensure that Gambians depend on homegrown produce for their own wellbeing.Since he took over power in 1994, President Jammeh had called on Gambians to go "Back to the Land" to "grow what we eat and eat what we grow".
Vision 2016 is a development blueprint that aims specifically at self-sufficiency in food and unequivocally espouses the idea of perceiving agricultural production not only as a subsistence necessity but a commercial activity. The vision is premised on the realisation that The Gambia is richly endowed with vast cultivable land, fresh water bodies, marine resources and a sizeable youthful population that will readily grasp self-empowerment opportunities if given the right skills, knowledge and access to financing. Thus Vision 2016 is a fundamental strategic initiative for the eradication of poverty, hunger and unemployment, as it would significantly contribute to economic growth, offload the burden of food imports and enhance expansion of opportunities in all spheres of the country's economic life.It is the realisation of these potentials that informed and continue to influence since the advent of the July 22 Revolution in 1994, our emphasis on collective self reliance as a nation with strong dedication, hard work, resolve, determination and a convergence of hearts and minds in the realisation of the goal and objectives of National Vision 2016.Will this initiative will be attained, can Gambia do it? Although the Gambian president is leading by example but is it really possible to fullfill it?