Indonesia Reopens Agricultural Training Center in Gambia

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta – The Indonesian Government has officially reopened the Agricultural Rural Farmers Training Center (ARFTC) in Jenoi, The Gambia, as a hub for agricultural training and food security development for countries across West Africa. The inauguration was led by Indonesia's Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Arrmanatha Nasir, along with the Gambia's Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad, Sering Modou Njie, on the sidelines of the 2nd Indonesia–The Gambia Joint Commission Meeting held in Banjul from June 30 to July 1, 2026.

"The reopening of ARFTC is not merely about revitalizing infrastructure. It represents a renewed commitment by Indonesia to continue working alongside The Gambia in strengthening food security, building capacity, and sharing knowledge that will benefit future generations," Arrmanatha said in a statement received in Jakarta on Thursday, July 2, 2026.

Established in 1996, ARFTC was founded through cooperation between the Government of Indonesia, the Indonesian Agricultural Community Foundation (Yayasan Amal Masyarakat Pertanian Indonesia/YAMPI), and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Since its establishment, the training center has provided capacity-building programs for more than 6,000 farmers and agricultural extension workers from The Gambia and several West African countries, including Guinea, Liberia, Mali, and Senegal.

According to Arrmanatha, Indonesia is also exploring collaboration opportunities with development partner countries through South-South and Triangular Cooperation schemes to organize agricultural training programs at ARFTC for African countries.

He said the revitalization of ARFTC reflects Indonesia's commitment to delivering impactful development cooperation while strengthening human resource capacity in the agricultural sector.

Besides, ARFTC is expected to develop into a regional centre of excellence that promotes agricultural innovation, human resource development, and stronger food security across West Africa.

Arrmanatha reaffirmed that Indonesia will continue to be a partner of The Gambia in sharing development experiences and strengthening cooperation in food security to support the progress of The Gambia and the wider West African region.