Report on Poverty Eradication Initiatives in The Gambia and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Current Socio-Economic Landscape and SDG 1 Challenge

The Gambia, the smallest nation on the African continent, faces a significant challenge in achieving Sustainable Development Goal 1 (No Poverty). The national poverty rate stood at 53.4% in 2020, with a severe concentration in rural areas where approximately 76% of the population is impoverished. The agricultural sector is central to this issue, as farmers constitute 75% of the poor and 91% of the extremely poor. The nation’s 2022 Human Development Index (HDI) ranking of 174th out of 194 countries underscores the urgency of targeted interventions.

Strategic Interventions in Education to Advance SDG 4

Addressing poverty requires a multi-faceted approach, including a strong focus on Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education). Educational access and quality are critical for breaking intergenerational poverty cycles.

The Inspiring-Young Stars Program

The Inspiring-Young Stars Program, a Gambian nonprofit organization established in 2016, directly targets SDG 4. Its mission is to transform children’s lives through educational services, recognizing that education is a fundamental tool for poverty reduction. The program operates within a context of significant educational challenges:

• Limited national resources for funding, facilities, and teachers.
• Low foundational skills, with only 11% of children aged 7-14 demonstrating basic literacy and 9% demonstrating numeracy.
• A high national school dropout rate of 29%.

The Micro-Gardening Project: An Integrated Approach to SDGs

A key initiative of the program is the micro-gardening project, which engages children, youth volunteers, and students in learning sustainable agricultural practices. This project provides an integrated model for achieving multiple SDGs:

1. SDG 4 (Quality Education): It offers practical, technical, and critical life skills outside of a traditional classroom setting.
2. SDG 2 (Zero Hunger): It imparts knowledge on growing vegetables and crops, promoting food security and sustainable agriculture at a community level.
3. SDG 1 (No Poverty): By equipping youth with valuable skills, it enhances their future livelihood prospects.

Agricultural Development as a Catalyst for SDGs 1, 2, and 8

Given that the majority of The Gambia’s poor are farmers, interventions in the agricultural sector are crucial for making progress on SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth).

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is a key international partner investing in rural populations to transform agricultural economies. IFAD’s work in The Gambia is a prime example of targeting the root causes of rural poverty.

IFAD’s Strategy and Impact

IFAD has implemented a strategy specifically designed to support Gambian farmers and contribute to economic growth. The core objectives of this strategy are:

• To increase farmers’ access to markets, thereby improving their financial independence and contributing to SDG 8.
• To enhance the value of key crops by strengthening agricultural value chains, which directly supports rural economies.

Through these efforts, IFAD has made substantial contributions to poverty eradication. The impact of its operations in The Gambia includes:

• Support for 11 programs and projects with a total investment of $287.21 million.
• Direct assistance to over 195,000 impoverished rural households.

Conclusion: The Role of Partnerships in Achieving the SDGs

The efforts of organizations like the Inspiring-Young Stars Program and IFAD illustrate the importance of Sustainable Development Goal 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). The combination of local, community-focused educational initiatives and large-scale international investment in agriculture provides a comprehensive strategy for poverty eradication in The Gambia. These partnerships are vital for addressing the interconnected challenges of poverty, education, and economic development, helping the nation progress toward its sustainable development targets.

Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

SDG 1: No Poverty

• The article’s central theme is poverty eradication in The Gambia, directly addressing SDG 1. It explicitly states that “poverty remains the nation’s most significant challenge” and cites the national poverty rate of 53.4%. The focus on rural poverty and the fact that 75% of the poor are farmers highlights the multidimensional nature of poverty that SDG 1 aims to eliminate.

SDG 2: Zero Hunger

• This goal is addressed through the focus on agriculture as both a source of poverty and a potential solution. The article highlights that the “vast majority of the poor in the Gambia are farmers.” Initiatives like the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) aim to transform agriculture, and the Micro-Gardening Project teaches children to grow vegetables and crops, which relates to food security and sustainable agriculture.

SDG 4: Quality Education

• The article strongly connects poverty to the lack of quality education. The “Inspiring-Young Stars Program” is featured for its mission to “transform the lives of children through education.” The text details Gambia’s educational challenges, including low literacy (11%) and numeracy (9%) skills and a high dropout rate (29%), all of which are central concerns of SDG 4.

SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

• SDG 8 is relevant through the efforts to improve the economic conditions of farmers. IFAD’s strategy to increase farmers’ “access to markets” and “the value of certain crops” is aimed at helping them “support themselves financially.” This promotes productive employment and economic growth within the agricultural sector, which is the primary occupation for the country’s poor.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

• The article showcases partnerships between different types of organizations working towards a common goal. It describes the work of a local Gambian nonprofit (“Inspiring-Young Stars Program”) and a global financial institution (“International Fund for Agricultural Development”), demonstrating the multi-stakeholder partnerships essential for achieving the SDGs.

What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

SDG 1: No Poverty

• Target 1.2: By 2030, reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions. The article’s focus on reducing the national poverty rate of 53.4% directly aligns with this target.

SDG 2: Zero Hunger

• Target 2.3: By 2030, double the agricultural productivity and incomes of small-scale food producers…including through…access to…markets and opportunities for value addition. IFAD’s strategy to increase farmers’ access to markets and increase the value of crops to help them “support themselves financially” is a direct effort to achieve this target.

SDG 4: Quality Education

• Target 4.1: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes. The article highlights the challenges to this target by citing low fundamental literacy (11%) and numeracy (9%) skills and a high dropout rate (29%).
• Target 4.4: By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship. The Micro-Gardening Project, which teaches students “technical skills” to grow a garden and “critical life skills for the future,” directly contributes to this target.

SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

• Target 8.2: Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading and innovation, including through a focus on high-value added and labour-intensive sectors. IFAD’s work to increase the value of crops by involving more “value chain participants” is an example of focusing on high-value-added activities within the agricultural sector.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

• Target 17.2: Developed countries to implement fully their official development assistance commitments… The article mentions that IFAD has supported projects in The Gambia costing a total of $287.21 million, which represents a significant mobilization of international financial resources for development, in line with the spirit of this target.

Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

SDG 1: No Poverty

• Indicator 1.2.1: Proportion of population living below the national poverty line. The article explicitly provides this data point: “In 2020, the national poverty rate stood at a whopping 53.4%.”

SDG 2: Zero Hunger

• Implied Indicator: Number of small-scale food producers/rural households reached with agricultural support services. The article states that “IFAD has supported more than 195,000 rural households in the Gambia,” which serves as a proxy indicator for the reach of programs aimed at improving farmer incomes (Target 2.3).

SDG 4: Quality Education

• Indicator 4.1.1: Proportion of children and young people achieving at least a minimum proficiency level in (i) reading and (ii) mathematics. The article provides direct statistics for this: “only 11% of children aged 7 to 14 demonstrate fundamental literacy skills and 9% in numerical skills.”
• Implied Indicator: School completion or dropout rate. The article mentions “Ghana’s education system contributes to its high dropout rate of 29% among Gambian children,” which is a key measure of educational system performance related to Target 4.1.

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

• Indicator 17.2.1: Net official development assistance…as a proportion of…GNI. While not providing a proportion, the article gives a concrete financial figure that contributes to this indicator: the “$287.21 million” that IFAD has invested in programs and projects in The Gambia.

Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: borgenproject.org