The Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Natural Resources (MECCNAR), through the Resilient Gambia Project (RGP), has recently validated the National Wetland Policy, a key instrument aimed at strengthening the conservation, restoration, and wise use of wetlands in The Gambia.
The policy seeks to provide a coherent and comprehensive framework aligned with national development goals and climate resilience priorities. It also supports improved governance of wetlands and mangrove ecosystems, which play a critical role in sustaining livelihoods and biodiversity.
The Validation Workshop brings together national stakeholders to review and conduct gap analyses of existing wetland and mangrove-related policies and strategies, while identifying areas for policy harmonization. This process will ensure alignment with national, regional, and international commitments, as well as best practices in climate adaptation and ecosystem management.
In her opening statement, the Director of the Central Project Coordination Unit (CPCU), Mrs. Mariama Ndow-Jarju, underscored the vital importance of The Gambia’s wetlands, mangroves, and estuarine ecosystems. She described them as the backbone of the country’s natural capital, supporting fisheries, rice cultivation, livestock production, and eco-tourism, while providing essential ecological services such as carbon storage, flood regulation, and shoreline protection.
“Despite their immense value, these ecosystems remain under threat from unregulated development, pollution, overexploitation, and the impacts of climate change,” she noted.
Mrs. Ndow-Jarju further explained that one of the Resilient Gambia Project’s strategic objectives focuses on strengthening national legal and policy frameworks for climate adaptation and coastal resilience. The development of a National Wetland Policy is a key output under this objective, serving as a forward-looking, inclusive, and evidence-based framework to guide sustainable wetland management for years to come. She highlighted that the policy addresses a wide range of sectors, institutions, and stakeholders involved in wetland governance.
Also speaking at the workshop, a representative of the French Development Agency (AFD) in The Gambia, Ms. Lorraine Rebd, emphasized the significance of the policy, noting that wetlands are of prime importance to the country’s environmental sustainability, climate resilience, and socio-economic development.
In his remarks, the Governor of the Lower River Region (LRR), Seedy Lamin Bah, one of the beneficiary regions, described the National Wetland Policy as a critical document that will enhance wetland management and protection in the region. He expressed optimism about the policy’s implementation and its potential benefits for local communities.
The Validation Workshop marks an important milestone in ensuring that the draft National Wetland Policy is technically sound, inclusive, and nationally owned, paving the way for its effective adoption and implementation.
The Resilient Gambia Project (RGP) is funded by the French Development Agency (AFD) and implemented by the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Natural Resources. The project’s overarching goal is to support large-scale restoration of mangrove ecosystems and strengthen the climate resilience of coastal communities in The Gambia. One of its strategic objectives is to reinforce the national legal and policy framework for climate adaptation and coastal resilience.
