A PLANTATION in Gambia has moved a step closer to self-sufficiency, thanks to a Malvern company.
For a year Energy Solutions Malvern based in Spring Lane has been sponsoring a gardener in the West African nation.
Now thanks to the skills passed on, the locals who run the project are ready to be self dependent.
The plantation now produces bananas and cassava plants, which provides one of the major staple foods in the developing world.
There are also cashew saplings that will be valuable in future months. Income from harvests now surpasses the cost of running the plantation.
Energy Solutions Malvern has supported the country through the Just Act Gambia organisation, which was founded by Malvern woman Jane Smith in 2009.
Dave Adams, director of the charity, said: “We’ve had a great year. The young people we work with are all volunteers, so having a full-time, paid gardener has made a huge difference to them, both in terms of improving their skills and in terms of productivity.”
Dave McCann, managing director at Energy Solutions Malvern, added: “We established the company as a social enterprise and while we mostly support projects in the UK, we felt that this was something that we could do for a reasonable cost and bring really important benefits.”
Just Act Gambia originally formed with the aim of improving sustainable tourism for the nation but the plantation is seen as something which can provide a reliable all-year round income.
The organisation is currently seeking support to collect garden tools and help in developing a small solar irrigation system to replace a petrol pump and hose which has become inefficient.
Anyone wishing to get involved should contact Dave Adams through the Just Act Gambia Facebook page.
