Department of Livestock Services, MOA

05/12/2025

15/11/2025

PRESS RELEASE
The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Security wishes informs the public, particularly the farming communities that the recent occurrence of unseasonal rains in the month of November across the country coincided with harvesting period of major crops. The unseasonal rains can cause several negative impacts to harvested produce in the field including moldiness, Fungal growth, Discoloration, loss of seed viability and loss of market value. Crops that are at risk and most likely to be affected by these unseasonal rains are Groundnut, maize, Millet and Rice. Farmers are hereby advised that harvested produce of these crops can negatively be affected by unseasonal rains in the following ways:
1. Moisture pe*******on can significantly degrade the quality of produce such as groundnut kernels getting swell, discoloration, decay of produce in the field thus affecting the overall yield;
2. Wet and humid situations can result to fungal contamination of above-mentioned crop (Groundnut) thus leading to aflatoxins production.
3. The unseasonal rain can expose harvested seeds to enough moisture thereby leading to sprouting and germinating seeds while in the field.
4. Overall, it can culminate to huge post-harvest losses thus potentially causing huge economic loss for farmers and the country at large
In an effort to avert the above-mentioned potential negative impacts to these crops, the Ministry is hereby advising farmers to take the following precautionary measures:
1. Adopt proper drying techniques such as spreading the harvested produces out to allow aeration and pe*******on of sunlight.
2. Avoid heaping their harvested ground nuts, millet and rice to prevent moisture settlement and mold growth.
3. Use raised platforms in drying harvested produces to allow quick water seepage and adequate aeration to facilitate drying process.
4. Windrow their harvested groundnut for faster drying process
5. Constantly turn stacked groundnut to avoid moisture buildup
6. store seeds in dry, well-ventilated stores and containers.
7. Regularly monitor harvested produces for signs of mold or moisture
The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Security hereby assures the farming community of it’s support and wishing farmers successful harvest season.

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05/04/2025

Strengthening Emergency Preparedness and Response through GEMP Training

The Department of Livestock Services (DLS), through the DEFRA Project UK and with support from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), successfully concluded a four-day intensive training session on Good Emergency Management Practice (GEMP). The training, held within the framework of the One Health Concept, brought together DLS field staff and key partner institutions (MOH, NDMA, DPWM) to enhance national preparedness and response capabilities to animal health emergencies.

The primary objective of the training was to equip participants with practical knowledge and tools to effectively manage animal health emergencies, particularly in the context of zoonotic disease threats such as Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). The program emphasized the importance of early detection, rapid response, and coordinated efforts across sectors in line with international best practices.

A significant highlight of the training was the review and constructive assessment of the draft document titled "Development of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) Contingency Plan by modifying, updating, upgrading, reviewing and adapting of the existing Integrated National Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan for Avian & Human Influenza (INEP&R – A&HI) 2015-2019, for the threats posed by Avian Influenzas in The Gambia.
This session provided a valuable platform for field officers and stakeholders to offer feedback, identify gaps, provide recommendations and contribute to strengthening the national contingency plan.

The training marks a critical step forward in the Department’s ongoing efforts to build a more resilient animal health system that aligns with the One Health approach, ensuring effective collaboration across animal, human, and environmental health sectors.

16/09/2024

The Veterinary Laboratory completed a six day capacity building training on Avian Influenza Diagnosis at the Central Veterinary Laboratory, Abuko. This training is part of efforts to strengthen capacities of the Gambia Veterinary Services in responding to Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). If you could recall The Gambia recorded its first outbreak of HPAI in wild birds last year. We are yet to experience the disease in domestic poultry. Timely diagnosis and response is a fundamental step in control of HPAI. The training was funded from a regional Technical Cooperation Programme SFW 4002-751268 (Strengthening the Prevention and Control of HPAI Epizootics in Four West African Countries) of FAO that supports veterinary services of four West African countries including The Gambia. FAO Gambia

28/06/2024

The Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Security, Hon. Dr. Dembe Sabally, on his delivery notes mentioned that the institutions under his Ministry are as follows:
1. Department of Agriculture (DoA)
2. Department of Livestock Services (DLS)
3. Department of Planning (DoP)
4. Department of Cooperative Development (DoCD)
5. National Agriculture Research Institute (NARI)
6. Gambia Livestock Marketing Agency (GLMA)
7. National Seed Secretariat (NSS)
8. West Africa Livestock Innovation Center (WALIC)

03/04/2024

In an effort to strengthen capacities at the Veterinary Services of The Gambia, the DLS conducted a four-day capacity building workshop for DLS's field staff on Samples Collection, Packaging, and Transportation This training session aims to capacities staff on the area of Disease Prevention and Control by enhancing early detection through laboratory confirmation. Which is not only dependent on the quality of samples collected but also timely sampling and transportation to laboratories. The DLS thanks FAO Gambia for the facilitation and implementation of project activities.
This is funded by the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), a project on Emergency Assistance to Build Resilience against HPAI in The Gambia.

30/09/2023

The Department of Livestock Services received laboratory consumables, some equipment and a Nissan pick-up from Histoplasmosis Project. The project by University of Liverpool was looking into Seroprevalence and Risk factors Associated with Seropositivity in working Equids in The Gambia.
The Regional Livestock Director (WCR) Madam Isatou Savage received the materials from Dr. Tessa Cornell, the country project coordinator in the Gambia .
This was part of a MoU between the University of Liverpool and the Department of Livestock Services to host the project in the Central Veterinary Laboratory and the field Laboratories in the Gambia for the duration of the research study.
The DLS thanked Dr. Claire Scantlebury (project supervisor) and Dr. Tessa and her team for successfully implementing this study in The Gambia.