- For the awareness creation component of the project among CSO, the list of CSOs to be invited to the national consultative and information sharing workshop was finalized in early January 2020. The national workshop was conducted from 22 - 23 January 2020 al a local hotel.The workshop participants came from 40 organisations in the CSO sector all across the country. - The objective of the workshop was to establish a CSO network in the country that would promote the interest of CSOs and local communities in environment and sustainable development issues. Two of the identified ways of achieving this were:
(1). Establishing a functional network that would link all CSOs and to be sharing relevant information to its members.
(2). Building the capacity of the membership of chemicals and waste management as well as in the other areas of environment and sustainable development.

- As open burning of waste is one area that generates the release of UPOPs, a training / Sensitization on chemical Hazards and Risk Reduction Measures including sensitivity to open burning for fish smokers, foresters and extension workers.

Training of fish smokers
Thirty (30) women fish smokers selected from Ibo Town, Serre Kunda, New and Old Jeshwang, and
Tallinding attended a day?s work shop held at the Wellingara Horticultural Demonstration and
Training center, KMC. At the work shop, participants were introduced to the effects of open-burning and its adverse effects particularly on women, children and the environment.

- A Capacity Building training programme was also conducted on alternatives to chemicals in a bid to phase out/reduce their use in agriculture. Methods and techniques have been developed for the identification, screening, formulation, training and method demonstrations on the use of botanicals as alternatives to pesticides mainly on vegetables.

- Demonstration plots have been demarcated at Lamin women?s garden. Four supposedly insects and mite prone vegetables (cabbage, tomato, garden egg, and bitter tomato) have been transplanted and weak stands appropriately replaced. Scouting schedule has been elaborated to determine thresholds.

The second demonstration site has been changed and time of planting rescheduled to synchronize with the presence of the crop in the field with peak populations of more ravaging pest species such as the diamond back moth Plutella xylostella,the red spider mite(Tetranychus urticae)) and the tomato fruit fly (Helicoverpa armigera).
Growers usually apply more pesticides in the control of these species.

- As an information sharing workshop, presentations were made covering The GEF and the Small Grants Programme, which dealt with the aim, objectives and modus operandus of the Small grants Programme, Chemicals management strategy for The Gambia, Horticulture industry and how pesticides and chemicals are used indiscriminately by women vegetable producers, organic farming as a viable alternative to agriculture dependent on agrochemicals etc.

- At the conclusion of the information sharing workshop, a GEF-CSO Network was formally launched that will bring together more than 40 CSO in The Gambia. A website would be developed to share documents and important pieces of information among all CSO stakeholders. Prior to launching the website which would serve as an platform for information sharing , the specific terms of reference was presented and discussed and agreed upon.

- A training and sensitization programme on chemicals hazard and risk reduction measures targeting fish smokers, foresters and extension workers was conducted. The programme included the training of fish smokers in Ibo town, Serrekunda and Old Jeswang. 30 women fish smokers took part in the sensitization training. As part of this programme, a radio sensitization programme on the dangers associated with the release of unintentional POPs (UPOPs) in fish smoking and mitigation strategies to combat it.Also included in the release of UPOPs is associated with bush burning which were discussed in the radio programme.

- As part of the capacity building component of the project, a demonstration site consisting of a plot of land, was selected at the Lamin Women Vegetable garden to conduct trial on botanicals for pest control in vegetable production. The trial involved the identification, screening, formulation and training on some suitable materils such as Neem (azachdractin, Pepper (capscicin), garlic (allicin), onion (allicin) and woodworm (artimisnin). Quite a number of these botanicals inhibit normal physiological functions of pest and act as repellents.

- Demonstration plots were demarcated at the lamin vegetable garden and 4 supposedly insect and mite prone vegetables namely: Cabbage, Tomato, Garden egg and Bitter Tomato, were transplanted on the plots.

- Alongside these project activities, a sensitization programme was conducted on bush fires and open burning which are major sources of UPOPS.