By Mustapha K. Darboe
Claim: The Gambia is about 50% food poor
Source: Leader of the United Democratic Party (UDP), Ousainu Darboe
Verdict: FALSE
Gambians head to the polls in 2026 to elect a new president in what will be the third bid of President Adama Barrow who has since made clear of his intentions to run again.
His biggest contender yet is the leader of his former party— opposition United Democratic Party— Ousainu Darboe.
Though Darboe has worked as minister and vice president under Barrow, he now poses as his toughest critic, also the biggest threat to his third term.
Claim
In an interview with the State of Affairs program on QTV, the leader of the opposition UDP— Ousainu Darboe said the country is about 50% food poor.
“People are saying we are hungry… We really want to have the ability to put three square meals on the table… I don’t think any Gambian child should go to bed hungry. And there are lot of Gambian children who go to bed hungry. The Gambia is about 50% food poor,” said Darboe (listen to above video from 46 mins).
Fact-check
According to a World Food Programme data released in 2024, little over 700, 000 Gambians are food poor. This constitutes 29% of the country’s 2.4 million population.
However, the figure quoted by the opposition leader sounds about right when looked at in the rural context.
The more recent survey data found food insecurity in rural areas to be over half of the population, at least 52%. But the rate is only 21% in urban areas.
The Gambia ranks 174 out of 193 on the human development index with poverty rising from 48% pre-covid to 53% in the last few years, according to the World Bank.
Verdict: The claim by the UPD Leader, Ousainou Darboe, that The Gambia is about 50% food poor is FALSE.
