• Agriculture and Natural resources

• Industry and Infrastructure

• Services

• Human Resource Development

• Population

• Housing

• The Environment

• The Private Sector

• Public Sector Institutions

1. AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES

   Agricultural and Natural Resources (ANR) is the dominant sector in the Gambian economy, employing about 70 per sent of the total work force and contributing, on average, 22 per sent of GDP. Notwithstanding, ANR continues to lag behind other sectors in productivity and modernisation and is still characterised by an undiversified primary agricultural system. It is also conditioned by a seemingly unbreakable cycle of erratic inadequate input supplies, inappropriate technology, low output and productivity growth, low incomes and an acute inability to generate savings for investment. An unsatisfactory land tenure system is seen as a major obstacle to the development of commercial agriculture at modern, economically viable scales.

   While some of the constraints are exogenous, many are occasioned by human deficiencies and failures. ANR continues to lack a national policy focus and the political will necessary to transform the sector, Progress into next two decades will call for substantial improvements in the sector’s output and linkage to the sectors. In particular, overall productivity will have to improve significantly.

   Improvements in the ANR sector therefore call for serious examination and setting of objectives that are both realistic and attainable in the medium to long term. These improvements also require an unfailing commitment and dedication to the pursuit of the objectives to ensure balanced growth and an equitable distribution of incomes. The more important objectives for the sector are, among others, to :

   1. Increase ANR output of both domestic and exports produce in order to ensure food security and generate earnings of foreign exchange to finance other aspects of the development process.
   2. Create employment and generate income for the majority of the rural population who are largely dependent on ANR.
   3. Diversity the ANR base to facilitate the production of a wider range of food and export produce in order to reduce the fluctuations and uncertainties associated with rural household incomes and export earnings.
   4. Reduce disparities between rural-urban incomes as well as between men and women, curb rural-urban drift and accelerate the pace of development of the rural sector.
   5. Provide effective linkages between ANR and other sectors of the economy such that developments in the non-agricultural sectors, particularly manufacturing and tourism are founded on a firm and diversified ANR base capable of progressively releasing both labour and financial to other sectors of the economy.
   6. Create a sustainable and balanced mix between rain-fed and irrigated agriculture, thus ensuring an optimal use of natural resources of surface and ground water, animal, aqua-culture and crop production as well as between chemical and organic inputs and the use of agricultural by-products.

Improvements in ANR productivity require a conscious evaluation of strategies to pursue the desired objectives. The strategies to be employed will necessarily have focus on the constraints and opportunities in the ANR sector.

1. INDUSTRY AND INFRASTRUCTURE

The long term aspiration of The Gambia is to achieve a solid infrastructural base for industrial development that would permit the processing of all primary products by the year 2020. At present, the industrial sector contributes on average 11 per cent to GDP> This contribution is targeted to rise to between 25-30 per cent by the year 2020. The manufacturing sub-sector will be relied upon to achieve that objective.

1. ENERGY

The importance of this sector in the realisation of the objectives of Vision 2020 cannot be over emphasised. The prime objective for this sector is to overcome the existing bottlenecks and to ensure a reliable and adequate supply of energy, both conventional and renewable, at affordable prices. The total generating capacity for electricity is targeted to increase to 150 megawatts by the year 2020.

2. MANUFACTURING

Consistent with the objectives of improving the income status of the Gambian people, the manufacturing sector will undergo substantial re-orientation aimed at increasing and diversifying industrial output. Specifically, this means realising a net increase in the number of industrial units, greater diversification of industry, greater employment opportunities and the capturing of an established and growing export market. In this regard, priority will be given to a smoother technology transfer mechanism, the encouragement of adaptive research in production and process technologies and accelerated training and development of our human resources. The share of manufacturing activities in total employment and GDP must increase at a steady rate.

By the target year, the share of industry should rise through the provision of institutional support services and targeted incentives. A manufacturing base supplying both the domestic and export markets will be established in order to reduce the overt dependence on Agriculture and Trade.

3. TRANSPORT

The sea port, airport and road and waterway network will play a crucial role as providers of efficient infrastructural services. The sea port will be upgraded and rendered more efficient and competitive in order to cater adequately for transhipment needs to countries in the sub-region both coastal and land-locked. The transformation of the Port of Banjul into an industrial and entrepot Freeport should herald major investment opportunities in out maritime industry. It is envisaged that such investments will be effected through joint-ventures with private sector partners in a bid to involve operators in the transformation process. Consequently, there will be created a Freeport Authority which will offer an unrivalled fiscal and regulatory regime as well as infrastructural facilities in order to accelerate the growth of our maritime industrial development area.

The up-grading and expansion of the airport is a major component of the Gateway Strategy. The multi-modal transport initiative subsumed in this initiative is the Gambia’s spearhead strategy to play a crucial role in international trade. In this regard, facilities at the airport will be upgraded and modernised, security improved to international standards to handle an increased passenger and cargo traffic with an eye to serving as a transit point from Europe and America into and out of Africa.

The development of inland road and water-way transport networks will focus on improving connections to regional trading centres, while offering logistic services such as storage and communications facilities.

4. TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND MULTI MEDIA
   


Telecommunications is one of those service industries in which The Gambia has established celebrated success; consequently, it is only proper that efforts should continue towards consolidating The Gambia’s achievements in this area. This service industry is, at the same time, a fastidious one particularly in relation to technological innovations and strategically pre-emptive manoeuvres. Under Vision 2020 the requisite regulatory and investment support will be guaranteed to this industry to ensure that The Gambia’s competitiveness is not eroded, furthermore, for fruitful competition between all actors (present and future) in the industry.

The free flow of information is a pre-requisite for the attainment of Vision 2020. It allows people greater access to a diversity of information and ensures greater popular participation in sustainable human development. The long term objectives for telecommunications are to consolidate. The Gambia’s achievements in the area of telecommunications by integrating the country into the Global Information Infrastructure (GII) via the global information highway, to make The Gambia a major centre for date processing and training and to make telecommunication services accessible to every household and business in the country.

The media has a major role to play in the creation of a well-informed and self reliant population. The realisation of this objective of Vision 2020 calls for the multiplication, diversification and decentralisation of the media. Mass media will therefore be harnessed as an instrument for pluralistic information, education, entertainment and mobilisation of people for national socio-economic development.

2. SERVICES

The services sector has gained increasing important as a contributor to growth and employment in recent years. At present, services contribute over 50 per cent of total output and this share is expected to grow as the economy expands.

1. FINANCIAL SERVICES

An important pillar of Vision 2020 is to transform the Gambia into sub-regional financial services centre that will offer investors a variety of investment instruments, the ultimate objective being to mobilise domestic savings and attract foreign private and institutional investors to enhance growth. Government recognises that without a strong and efficient financial services system providing a continuous flow affordable credit to the private sector, little will realise in terms of growth and prosperity. Consequently, the over riding objective in the area of financial system that will not only offer retail services but that will also provide all forms of investment capital for the private sector through term lending and financial engineering.

In this regard, the financial sector reforms that were embarked upon in 1985/86 will be pursued with renewed vigour and the liberal financial policies already in place will maintained. At present, financial institutions are given leeway to introduce new instruments and to diversify their business portfolio. In addition, new entrants will be encouraged into the Gambian banking sector through the progressive review and up-dating of the existing banking legislation while maintaining a prudent and effective regulatory system.

2. INTERNATIONAL TRADE

The Gambia as the gateway to the sub-region is another important pillar of Vision 2020. The potential role as an entrepot economy and the widespread international connections of her banking and trading systems. An essential ingredient in this area is to have a significant Gambian paritcipation both as proprietors and partners with foreign traders in order to raise the local content of exported goods and services.

3. TOURISM
   
   Tourism has been one of the most buoyant sectors of the economy contributing 12 per cent to GDP while being a major foreign exchange earner and a healthy employment generator. This sector has registered impressive growth rates up 4.5 per cent an average, this encouraging the construction of more hotels and increases in the number of tourist arrivals.
   
   The objective of Vision 2020 is to build on this base to make The Gambia a tourist paradise and a major tourist destination, through product innovation, quality improvement on investment returns and diversification of the gambia’s tourism product. Special emphasis will be on attracting high value and high spending tourists. Tourism will be diversified and innovations will seek to introduce and promote eco-tourism, cultural, inland and community-based tourism as well as conference tourism. Marketing efforts will intensified in order to diversify and expand source markets. Another objective in this sector is to strengthen the linkages between tourism and other sectors of the economy and increase Gambian participation so as to maximise returns to the domestic economy.

   In addition, greater collaboration between the public and private sectors is envisaged in the provision of modern tourism infrastructure. The attraction of high spending tourists implies major infrastructure developments captured in projects such as a water front trade centre sea side walk- ways and parks that make the Gambia a veritable holiday resort. With the projected increase in income levels of Gambians as the objectives of Vision 2020 are realised, particular attention will be given to domestic tourism for nationals as well as recreational and leisure activities.

3. HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

The developments envisaged under Vision 2020 can hardly be realised unless supported by a deliberate policy of investing in those human capital resources required to produce, organise, mobilise and manage the development processes that will be indispensable in the 21^st Century. The Education and Health sectors therefore have a central place in Vision 2020.

1. EDUCATION AND TRAINING

Since independence in 1965, national development policies have been default focused on the development of human resources in the white collar and peripheral services sector to the detriment of the areas of Science, Technology, Agriculture and Industry, particularly the Manufacturing sector. This focus has created a market failure, resulting in the importation of human capital, a dependence on expatriate manpower to manage the development of national productive resources with the result that no firm foundation has been laid over the past three decades to provide for sustainable development.

Consequently, a proper diagnosis o the skills needed to realise the objectives of Vision 2020 is called for prior to formulating a curriculum that will ensure a capable human resource base to attain the set objectives. Objectives for education include increasing the accessibility of education to 90 per cent of the school-age population, a diversification of institutions to favour vocational and skilled based training, encouraged of entrepreneurship as a corner-stone of education and an overall enrichment of curricula and extra curricula activities to favourable induce the skills-mix of the population towards a 21^st Century setting.

2. HEALTH AND SOCIAL WELFARE
   
   Considering the present inadequacies and mindful of the constraints faced by the economy, the provision of adequate, effective and affordable health care for all Gambians is the long term objective for the health sector.
   
   Intermediate objectives for the health sector are to improve the administration and management of health services, provide better infrastructure for Referral Hospitals and health facilities and the extension of Primary Health Care services to all communications. Simultaneously, the of a well-motivated and trained staff and the establishment of efficient procurement arrangements should complete the array of institutional reforms to ensure effective and efficient health services for all. Improvement s in ancillary services will focus on the management of health data and enhancing research into paramedical services such as traditional healing methods.
   
   Vision 2020 recognises that socio-economic development and social transformation do not come without imbalances between the people that compose the society and the environment in which they live. It is therefore an objective of Vision 2020 to ensure a peaceful, tolerant, cohesive, mutually supportive and integrated society by maintaining social equilibrium and stabilising the social situation at all times through an equitable distribution of development resources and by fostering good governance.
   
   
4. POPULATION

Human resources are vital component of the growth process; bearing in mind the vital contributions of populations to National Development, the population growth will remain a major concern for Vision 2020. The attainment of objective in the size of households, the continuity of efforts to increase life-expectancy and a consistent set of policies to control immigration should ensure a totally manageable population that will contribute fully to the development objectives of Vision 2020.

5. HOUSING

As a consequence of the more recent and prevailing demographic trends, rapid urbanisation and concentration of the urban population, the demand for decent housing is increasingly elusive to satisfy. The long term objectives of housing sector will aim at increasing production of decent housing stock on a more regular basis. A review of the National Housing Policy formulated in1989 will be necessary in this regard to effectively address the problems posed by pressing demography and rapid urbanisation. Particular attention will be focus on the difficult and inadequate access to land for housing, dependence on imported building materials, the manpower and technical limitation of the construction industry, and the need for specialised housing finance institutions such as housing banks and housing co-operatives. Improving housing development capabilities is a prerequisite for providing a decent standing of living under Vision 2020.

6. THE ENVIRONMENT

The pursuit of development objectives often results in some undesirable environmental problems. In this regard, the objectives of Vision 2020 is primarily to conserve and promote the rational use of the nation’s natural resources and environment for the benefit of present and future generations in a manner that is consistent with the overall goal of sustainable development.

The ensure the attainment of the policy goals of this objective, the Gambia Environment Action Plan (GEAP) will be continuously implemented within the framework of inter-sectoral collaboration under the leadership of the National Environment Agency. The GEAP Action Plan including the supporting institutional and legal framework will be continuously reviewed and upgraded. The key environmental problems of soil degradation, loss of forest cover, loss of biodiversity, poor sanitation and pollution will be addressed through public awareness campaigns, community participation, the application of appropriate technologies and legal instruments. Such actions will be supported by putting in place appropriate Environmental Impact Assessment Legislation.

The greatest challenge facing the nation in terms of ensuring the attainment of the primary objective of Vision 2020 is the elaboration of a Disaster Preparedness Plan. A National Disaster Preparedness Plan of an inter-sectoral character will be elaborated and tested for adequacy. The capacity of communities organisations and sectors to comprehend the planning and implementation processes of the plan will be developed.

7. THE PRIVATE SECTOR

The Gambia Incorporated" is a recognition, more than ever before of the great potentials of the private sector as an engine of growth. This recognition is further reinforced by the far reaching privatisation campaign in the last few years. At present, Government has control over only a limited number of enterprises providing basic infrastructure services such as Telecommunications, Maritime and Air Ports, Public Transport Services, Public Utilities, to name a few. Government has made a firm and irreversible commitment to focus only on the provision of public goods while putting in place an enabling environment for the realisation of the full potentials of the private sector.

Consequently, Vision 2020 aims at a fully-fledged private sector that is responsible to the development needs of this country and that can play an active role in the domestic economy. Government will ensure that marker mechanism function smoothly within a free market and a stable macro-economic environment. On the external front, the maintenance of a steady exchange rate between the Dalasi and major foreign currencies as well as the implementation of agreements signed with International Financial Institutions will ensure a more positive insertion of the economy into the international scene.

8. PUBLIC SECTOR INSTITUTIONS

Over the last decade, it has become clear that an internally consistent set of economic and financial policies is a necessary but not sufficient condition for growth and development. Institution performance is a critical factor, not only in the design and implementation to development programs, but in the effective realisation of policy goals and development targets too. Vision 2020 integrates institutional capacities as a key factor of production and sets as an objective the correction of institutional failures in order to accelerate the implementation of development programs.

Notwithstanding the lead role of the private sector in The Gambia’s future socio-economic development, public sector institutions have a critical role to play in the delivery of support infrastructural and social services to buttress the development efforts of the private sector. It is therefore envisaged that specific objectives shall refer to parastatals on the one hand and the civil service on the other.

1. THE CIVIL SERVICE

Most civil service institutions in contrast to parastatals, operate in non specific, non competitive task environments. Performances appraisal is therefore a more difficult task for such institutions. The delivery of social services by these institutions is, notwithstanding, critical to rapid development in their respective environments. Cost efficiency service quality and institutional response capacity will therefore form the corner stone of appraisal of civil service institutions operating in this type of environment.The search for a pattern of performance instead of isolated performance in a few institutions will form the basis for an overall performance evaluation of the civil service.

2. PARASTATALS
   
   Improvements in the efficiency of parastatals are a key to reductions in operating costs for private sector enterprises. Furthermore, the improvement in productivity within parastatals will enhance total productivity in the economy. The challenge to the parastatals is for them to play the vital role as fore runners of economic and financial efficiency while providing adequate infrastructural and social services to the private sector. Another challenge to them relates to their governance the decision making process that is more technical and commercially focused. Decision-making should be less influenced by political considerations in order to allow an efficient allocation of resources within parastatals.
   
   The nature of the agency problem in parastatals calls for a new approach to board compositions and monitoring strategies. More pro-active boards will set up within parastatals and these governance bodies will have a crucial role to play in the formulation, implementation and monitoring of strategic plans of public enterprises. These plans will result from negotiations and performance agreements with both the Ministry of Works, Communication and Information (as the line of Ministry for almost all parastatals) and the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs (as Government’s exchequer). Performance indicators within parastatals must focus on financial and economic aspects create optimum value for all stakeholders to their assets and activities.