THE REPUBLIC OF THE GAMBIA’S COMBINED REPORT ON THE AFRICAN CHARTER ON HUMAN & PEOPLES’ RIGHTS & INITIAL REPORT ON THE PROTOCOL TO THE AFRICAN CHARTER ON THE RIGHTS OF WOMEN IN AFRICA In terms of food security and agriculture, an Agricultural Council has been formed to guide agricultural planning and policy. In addition, The Government enacted the Food Act 2005, to control the production, manufacture, sale, distribution, importation and exportation of food. Furthermore, the Act established the National Nutrition Agency, whose role is to coordinate all nutrition and related activities in The Gambia, coordinate, investigate all matters pertaining t food safety and control. Other measures include the provision of technical support including opportunities for farmers to access long term loans to develop modern farms and development of science parks to enhance the quality of primary produce. Enhancing social protection by responding to poverty and vulnerability and ensuring a decent standard of living for all Gambians through the reduction of risks and the creation of increased employment opportunities is a national development priority. This is achieved through the execution of policies and programmes designed to reduce poverty and vulnerability by promoting more efficient labour markets and diminishing people`s exposure to risk; thus enhancing their capacity to protect themselves against hazards and loss of income. Social and Cultural Development Section 32 of the Constitution guarantees the right to culture in The Gambia and the Government has taken several measures to promote and preserve the cultural heritage of its people. Museums Museums are seen as the repositories of material cultural heritage of a people. The presence of museums and their access to the public could therefore be seen as a yardstick for measuring the public’s access to the cultural goods. There are five public and three private museums in The Gambia. The public museums fall under the stable of The Gambia National Museums, and has branches at Wassu, Ker Batch in the Central River Region, in Juffureh in the North Bank Region, and in Banjul. The Public museums are found in Bakau in the Kanifing Area, and at Tanji in the West Coast Region. These museums display cultural and historical items of all the peoples and religions of the country, and some have displays of objects from foreign countries thus making them truly representative and eclectic. 111