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Message: [QUOTE="Nehanda, post: 27727, member: 2262"] Groundnut crops dropped this season, according to Agriculture Minister Demba Sabally's report to lawmakers. He blamed less rain and bad seeds kept by farmers for years. When Central Baddibu representative Sulayman Saho asked about paying farmers for their losses, Sabally made things clear. "We don't compensate farmers; we support them. We checked the whole country with help from the President's Office and disaster teams. We're working with FAO and World Bank to help farmers prepare for next season." Sabally shared numbers showing groundnut yield fell fourteen percent per hectare. He explained that a three-week dry spell hurt crops badly. Low-quality seeds stored by farmers made things worse after planting. Lower Saloum member Sainey Jawara asked what plans would prevent future crop failures. The minister pushed back on how Jawara described the situation. "I don't agree it failed completely—that's just your opinion," Sabally responded firmly. Our government data shows production decreased by fourteen percent. Whether you call that terrible depends on your view." He explained that they studied what happened carefully. The main problems came from farmers using seeds they saved year after year, which lost strength over time. The government plans to solve these problems through partnerships with outside groups. "We'll work with donor organizations to give farmers better seeds for next season," Sabally promised the Assembly. These new seeds should resist disease and produce much higher yields than what farmers currently use. This approach aims to prevent similar production drops next growing season. [/QUOTE]

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