Certainly, the local manufacturers need to do a lot of jazzing up. For instance, they need to improve the quality of their products to attract both local and international markets. To succeed in that, they have to particularly do away with the typical Gambian way of doing business – ‘my business’ – and start entering into partnerships. That way, they can expand their businesses to a point a sole proprietorship could not reach and at the same time enhance the quality of their products to satisfy the needs of the various classes that exist in our society.

However, having a vibrant local manufacturing industry is not in the interest of local manufacturers alone. The government and the people of The Gambia stand to benefit when the local industry grows. Among other benefits, revenue will be accrued to The Gambia’s tax-dependent economy and more jobs will be created in a country where job opportunities are scarce.

Unfortunately, neither our policies and programmes nor the attitude of individual Gambians towards locally manufactured products sufficiently encourage the creation of a vibrant local manufacturing industry, capable of offering variety and quality.  

The sad reality is that the local manufacturers are faced with a dilemma as they do not only have to contend with the rising and costly taxes, but also the seeming unchecked mass importation of similar products being produced locally. Those imported products bully local products out of the local market as consumers tend to rush for the imported ones because they are low-priced compared to the locally made ones.
 
Again, compared to, as well the high cost involved in the production of products locally, the taxes importers pay to flood their products into the local markets are cheaper. Plus the local manufacturers have to factor in their high expenditures when pricing their goods. These among others, put local producers at a disadvantage position.

As if that is not enough, matters for the local manufacturers are compounded by a population that feels that anything Gambian is not good, is of low standard, and of poor quality. This problem is deep-seated and entrenched in Gambian society, extending to even the services we offer. The norm is that a qualified Gambian painter or electrician is paid far less than an equally qualified non-Gambian painter or printer. This issue should be addressed.

Without doubt, efforts especially in recent times being made by Gambian authorities and other stakeholders towards addressing this problematic issue of looking low upon made-in- The Gambia products are paying some dividend.

For instance, a slight improvement from what used to obtain in the recent past, some made-in- The Gambia products could be found in the mini and supermarkets though in a small quantity. Also, thanks to organisations like Concern Universal, hotels are now buying for usage produce of the local horticultural gardeners instead of the imported ones.  

Moreover, the recently concluded international trade fair saw The Gambia Chamber of Commerce and Industry, in a deliberate move, held the biennial event under a theme that sought to promote locally made products. This was despite the fact that the trade fair is an international event. In fact, the fair was preceded by a mini trade fair that also sought to promote locally made products.  

Yet Gambians, in general, prefer imported products over made-in- The Gambia products even if they are of similar  quality. Gambians need a re-direction and re-orientation on what it means to support one’s own. A sense of rational nationalism should be imbued in Gambians for them to develop an appreciation of made in The Gambia and be proud of being a Gambian.
It is only when we support Gambian initiatives and give priority to made-in-The Gambia products, which would have more trickles down effect ultimately on the public, then we will be able to build the great nation we aspire to have.  
 
However, it should also be noted here that patronising made-in-The Gambia products should undoubtedly be accompanied by a strong backing from the state authorities through deliberate policies and programmes and if necessary, a legislation that would promote locally made products over imported ones. This should be done even if we are to be accused for  box-clever.   

Vision 2020 is at stake here. Every patriotic Gambian wishes the Jammeh administration’s target of transforming resource poor Gambia into a middle income country by 2020 to become a reality. But this cannot be achieved without an industrialised Gambia. Industries depend largely on local consumers for survival. We have to move towards an industrialised Gambia even if we are to transform or accompany our laudable back-to-the-land clarion call with some that would spur interest in this respect. For back-to-the-land is meaningless if farmers would harvest only for their produce to get spoiled even when it cost less than the budget of the festivals to add value to their produce.