Gambia : study of the privatization of The Gambia produce marketing board

and the Government of The Gambia (GOTG) reached agreement on a $6- million, 3-year P.L. 480 Title II, Section 206 food aid program. One condition of the program specified that the GOTG would announce a plan and schedule for the divestment and privatization of the Gambia Produce Marketing Board (GPMB) before it received the final tranche of rice under the program. The study, therefore, is intended to assist GOTG in meeting this condition. Following an introduction, Section 2 of the study overviews the groundnut subsector and GPMB"s role within it, with emphasis on subsectoral problems and issues. Specific GPMB operations relating to groundnut purchasing, processing, and marketing are dealt within Section 3, which also discusses recent GPMB organizational changes and the Board"s financial performance, especially with respect to groundnut processing. Section 4 examines the potential for privatizing GPMB activities. Government policy towards privatization generally, and the groundnut subsector in particular, is reviewed. The practicability of the private sector assuming control of critical Board operations is examined in terms of private sector presence, capability, and interest together with perceived constraints to participation. The section concludes with a discussion of the primary concerns which the privatization debate raises. Finally, Section 5 presents a divestment strategy based on the study findings. A realistically phased implementation plan is delineated together with an outline of necessary supporting actions and programs. (Author abstract, modified)