Attachments
In Numbers
- 150,972 people assisted in January and February 2025
- US$ 549,994 cash-based transfers made from January to February 2025
- US$ 6.3 million six-month (March-August 2025) net funding requirements
Operational Updates
- WFP continues to support 421 schools across the country’s Upper River, Central River North and South, and North Bank Regions through its Home-Grown School Feeding (HGSF) programme. The second term of the school year began in January 2025. The Country Office developed a Meal Distribution Plan and school feeding has resumed amidst the children’s enthusiasm to the daily meals. A total of 150,972 children, comprising 54 percent girls, is benefiting from the programme.
- WFP attended the second Coordination Committee Meeting of the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education. The event brought together key stakeholders of the country to review the implementation of education activities and discuss future plans.
- In February 2025, WFP started to conduct consultations to review the new procurement model for the HGSF with actors at the regional level. The model, which was launched in February 2024, has been in use for a year. The review will provide insights into progress made and shed light on where improvements are needed.
- The Government has officially endorsed and inaugurated a National Task Force responsible for overseeing the implementation of the national Systems Approach for Better Education Results (SABER) exercise, conducted in cooperation with WFP and the World Bank. It will provide technical leadership and facilitate multi-sectoral coordination across health, education, nutrition, and other sectors. Field level consultations started in February 2025.
- The Country Office held the Presentation of The Gambia Fill the Nutrient Gap (FNG) Findings event on 26 February to present, discuss, and validate the preliminary results of the analysis. WFP, in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Food Security, the National Nutrition Agency, and other stakeholders, recently completed the data collection on the cost of diet and affordability of a nutritious diet. The event was attended by around 50 participants. The preliminary results were further presented to the Development Partner Group, whose members commended the study for its thoroughness and insights.
- WFP conducted the biannual Deworming and Vitamin A Campaign in January 2025, targeting all 150,972 children in 421 schools in the Upper River, Central River North and South, and North Bank Regions to address worm infestation and nutrition deficiency among children. The preliminary result indicates a 75.5 percent coverage.
- WFP supported Maruo Farms through technical capacity building to locally produce 96.9 metric tons of fortified rice. The rice was distributed to schools supported by WFP across the country.
- A Rapid Assessment of the 2024/25 Cropping Season on Groundnut and Rice Production and Productivity on Seeds, Food and Nutrition Security was successfully conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Security with support from WFP, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and other national stakeholders. The assessment report highlights that crop production in the 2024/2025 cropping season was negatively impacted by long dry spells with 30 percent of the fields failing while flooding affected 8 percent of households in most parts of the country, coupled with infestation by pests.
- WFP participated in the second Global Shield in-country workshop, organised by the Global Shield Secretariat, the Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Natural Resources. The workshop allowed to present and refine the stock-taking and gap analysis report, gather input from stakeholders, determine priority areas for climate and disaster risk finance and insurance support, and inform related decision-making.
- In collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Natural Resources, Ministry of Finance, and Climate Finance Directorate, WFP conducted a two-day capacity strengthening session for 38 decentralised staff on climate risk management and adaptation planning.
- WFP with the support of the Government awarded a total US$ 16,000 in rural resilient entrepreneurship microgrants to 9 recipients. The programme aims to build the capacities of women and youth to develop resiliencebuilding and climate adaptation activities in their communities.