National Environment Agency - The Gambia

The Gambia is experiencing serious environmental problems as a result of a combination of natural and man-made factors. Some of these factors, such as drought and pests are unavoidable, but other factors, and perhaps the most critical ones, are largely a result of inadequate policies for sound environmental management.

The Gambia Environmental Action Plan (GEAP ) was adopted to help address these pressing environmental problems. Development of the GEAP helped to shape a long-term vision and sense of direction for the realisation of a sustainable development strategy, which balances economic growth with effective environmental and natural resource management. Sustainability is the key concept in the GEAP n one may achieve economic growth, but if natural resources are exploited to the extent of depletion in the process, that economic growth cannot be sustained over the long-term.

The GEAP represents the commitment of Govern­ment to sound environmental management and to achieving economic growth while also ensuring a healthy environment. The GEAP identifies key policies, institutional and legislative mechanisms, programmes and projects to be implemented.