Jarra Jagne — Women, Youth and Animal Agriculture in West Africa 

I have been an immigrant in the United States for 42 years, which includes a 3-year hiatus that took me back to The Gambia, West Africa, my birthplace and cultural anchor. From the minute I stepped into the US as a student, my intention has always been to return to West Africa to give back.  

I have had a very interesting career as a mixed animal practitioner in The Gambia and as a poultry veterinarian in the US after a couple of years of specialty training. My poultry specialty led to opportunities for international veterinary work that have shaped my views about international aid for development of Africa South of the Sahara. I believe aid has created a dependency syndrome and not much has been achieved since African countries obtained their independence from colonial powers starting in the late fifties. Development programs rarely consider what countries want or need, and frequently suppress indigenous knowledge systems that could be incorporated into modern practices. 

Recently, I have been thinking a great deal about what I want to do after retirement. I have a clear vision of working closely with women and youth involved in poultry and small ruminant production. I want to assist in keeping poultry, sheep and goats healthy but also collaborate with governments to provide these vulnerable populations with skills and sustainable markets that can improve their livelihoods. Women have been marginalized in many development programs and Africa’s burgeoning youth population is a blessing but also a catalyst for instability if jobs are not available. Towards that end, I have co-founded an organization of professional Gambian diasporans that will serve as a link to government development initiatives that cover not only agriculture but health, climate change and many other topics. 

Increased food production is essential for the development of Africa South of the Sahara. It will reduce dependency on foreign food imports thereby increasing available funds for infrastructural development. Even more important for me is the improvement of nutrition for women and children and an increase in the use (not overuse) of animal protein for overall health. 

I belong to many communities in the US, namely faith, cultural, and professional communities that have assisted me on this journey. I invite you to join me as I attempt to change the development narrative in my little corner of the huge continent of Africa. (Email Jarra.)