Laboratory For Adoptive Agriculture To Climate Change Worth About D84M Handed Over To NEA
The Food and Agricultural Organization in collaboration with the Global Environmental Fund on Monday officially handed over a well upgraded and equipped laboratory to the National Environment Agency worth about D84 million, at a ceremony held at the NEA head office which brought together officials from various departments and the UN System.
The gesture was part of FAO’s support to the Gambia government in addressing the nation’s NAPA priorities on monitoring and evaluation of climate change adaptation.
Speaking at the occasion, FAO Country Representative, MsMoshibudiRampedi revealed that the occasion is an example of the good relationship between the FAO and the Gambia government to strengthen the NEA’s quality-control laboratory to monitor and analyze the impacts of adaptation practices on the natural resources and environment.
She applauds GEF for financially funding the rehabilitation of the lab and procurement and installation of the equipment and accessories, adding that the investment meant to address climate change adaptation monitoring challenges to strengthen national capacity, the availability, reliability and management of data and human resources constraints.
She noted that eight staffs were trained to effectively operate and maintain the equipment which includes (43 items) such as Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GCMS) and accessories, GCMS, Solid Phase Extraction (SPE) Automated Sample System and Minor Analytical Laboratory Equipment and reagents and accessories
She stated that the training focused on the basic overview of Mass Hunter Data analysis software and processing GCMS data and the operation of the SPE automated sampler.
She said that with this support, the laboratory will able to monitor the impacts of adaptation practices on natural resources and assess nutrition and chemical profiles of diversified crops and varieties.
That the GCMS is the primary tool for measurement of many organic contaminants that occur at trace concentrations in complex food and environmental samples such as agrochemicals-such as pesticides and veterinary drugs and environmental contaminants-such as hydrocarbons and toxins.
NEA Executive Director, Dr DawdaBadgie stated that strengthened the quality control laboratory through the support of FAO project; adapting agriculture to climate change with state of the earth equipment will enhance its capacity to carry out pesticide formulation likewise monitor nutrition and chemical profiles of diversified crops and varieties through residual analysis which he said is pivotal to making informed decision on the use of agro-chemicals.
