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At the age of 35, Fana Cessay is a true success story in the Gambia. Thanks to the Inclusive and Resilient Agricultural Value Chain Development Project (GIRAV), financed by the World Bank and implemented with the support of CORAF, she has transformed her life and that of her community. Originally from a remote area where access to chickens required a 150-kilometre journey to Combo, Fana threw herself into poultry farming and chicken feed production with determination. 

"I found that local chicken production was insufficient to meet demand in our town. Residents were forced to travel long distances to obtain poultry. Faced with this situation, I decided to go into poultry farming to help fill this need. More recently, I applied for the GIRAV project to boost my production and develop a sustainable local supply", explains Fana.explains Fana. Thanks to a US$190,000 grant, she was able to build three key infrastructures: a building for rearing chickens, a room for slaughtering and packaging, and a unit dedicated to poultry feed production.

Thanks to this infrastructure, Fana has not only been able to stabilize its business, but also hire ten additional young workers, in addition to the seven who were already working for the company prior to the project's support. 

"Today, I produce 10 tons of chicken feed a day, with a machine capable of producing two tons an hour," she says proudly. The success of her farming business goes beyond the bottom line; it has become an economic pillar for her community, providing jobs and new opportunities for young people who, like her, were looking for prospects after their studies.

Her husband, fully behind the initiative, adds: "Thanks to the project, our family has not only been able to stabilize financially, but also contribute to local development. Our 10 hectares of land, inherited from my father, are now arable and livestock land, where we also grow watermelons and vegetables. The GIRAV project has enabled Fana to reach another level."

Dr. Aifa Ndoye, World Bank representative, underlines the positive impact of the GIRAV project: "Initiatives like those in Fana show how agriculture can be a lever for inclusion and agricultural resilience in The Gambia. Supporting local entrepreneurs and setting up multi-stakeholder platforms are truly transforming agricultural value chains, promoting sustainable self-reliance."

Fana's success is inspiring other young people and creating momentum in the region. As Abdoulaye Sow, one of the employees responsible for production, points out, "Working here is an opportunity. Not only do I have a stable job, but I'm also contributing to local development. We didn't think it was possible to produce poultry feed here, and today we're proving that it can be done."

For Dr. Caroline Makamto Sobgui, technology transfer specialist at CORAF: "Fana's journey is exemplary: "Investing in agricultural production infrastructure not only increases capacity, but also creates local jobs. GIRAV and CORAF support entrepreneurs like Fana so that they can not only improve their production and serve as an example to other young people, but also and above all contribute to the food and nutritional security of populations."

Today, Fana sells around 50 50kg bags of chicken feed a day, selling for 1000 Dalasi (13 USD) , generating a flourishing turnover of over 800,000 Dalasi (12,000 USD) for her fledgling business. She has become an inspiration in the agricultural sector, proving that Gambian youth and women can not only find their place, but excel in a field once dominated by imports.

Thanks to the infrastructure built by the GIRAV project, Fana is now able to increase its production to 5,000 chickens per cycle, marking a remarkable improvement on its beginnings with just 347 chickens. This expansion testifies to the tangible impact of the GIRAV project in strengthening the capacities of local producers.

With the support of the World Bank-funded GIRAV Project and the strategic guidance of CORAF, Fana is much more than just a chicken farmer. Today, she embodies the face of an accomplished entrepreneur, creating jobs for young people and inspiring her community with her resilience and determination.