During our time in The Gambia, we visited GamHolland Havens Feed, a Gambian company producing poultry feed and providing technical support to poultry farmers. We met Assan, CEO and co-owner, who explained how his experience lead him to develop the business and how GamHolland is adapting to the challenges of the Gambian poultry sector.
From poultry farming to feed production
Assan grew up in a farming family, with a father who was a farmer, and studied agricultural sciences at the University of The Gambia. He started his professional career in the groundnut-oil sector before joining a local poultry integrator, where he became involved in feed production and gained experience of professional poultry farming at a larger scale. In 2009, he decided to start his own poultry business with a partner, initially focusing on broilers and later moving into egg production.
Broiler production proved particularly difficult in The Gambia. Imported poultry meat creates strong price competition for local producers. As an example, Assan estimated that a standard Ross or Cobb broiler weighing around 2.5 kg live and consuming approximately 4 kg of feed could generate around 350 dalasi for the farmer, while the retail price of frozen imported chicken can be around 150 dalasi per kilogram. The exact economics naturally vary with feed prices and production performance, but the underlying challenge is clear: feed represents a major cost of broiler production, while local producers have to compete with large volumes of imported poultry meat. This was one of the reasons why Assan, like many other commercial producers in The Gambia, shifted his focus towards laying hens. Imported eggs are also present on the market, but their price is subject to different dynamics, making local egg production a more attractive opportunity.
A gap in the feed market
Access to quality feed is another challenge. Many of the larger poultry farms operate as integrated businesses, where feed, chicks and technical support are provided within the same production chain. Independent farmers do not necessarily have access to the same level of support or consistent feed supply and they often have to source feed from across the border, particularly from Senegal. Assan saw an opportunity to produce poultry feed in The Gambia rather than relying entirely on imported finished feed, and GamHolland became one of the few local feed manufacturers.
The name itself reflects the company’s connection with the Netherlands: “GamHolland” combines Gambia and Holland, referring to the Dutch feed manufacturer HAVENS, whose specialised inputs and technical expertise are part of the company’s model. The feed is manufactured in The Gambia, but the main raw materials are not locally produced. Basic ingredients such as maize and soybean are sourced from Senegal, which itself imports large quantities through the port of Dakar. At the GamHolland mill, these ingredients are combined with HAVENS protein concentrate and a premix containing vitamins, minerals, trace elements and other feed additives. The ingredients are mixed in an industrial mixer before the finished feed is packed into 50 kg woven synthetic bags.
GamHolland currently produces starter mash, broiler finishing feed and layer feed. The bags are supplied directly to larger customers or sent to the company’s storage facility in Yundum, where smaller farmers can also purchase them. The company also distributes its products through around six shops. Since the end of 2025, the manufacturing operation has been located further inland, while the Yundum site remains an important storage and distribution point.
Technical support as part of the product
For GamHolland, selling feed is only part of the business. The company also provides technical support to farmers, particularly during the brooding period. They can help farms source better-quality chicks and provide follow-up until the birds are transferred to the production farm. This is an important stage of the production cycle: good early nutrition, health and management are essential for birds to express their genetic potential later, whether they are destined for meat or eggs. The objective is not simply to sell feed, but to help farmers obtain good results from it, adding extra value to the product through technical support.
Technical knowledge is also transferred through the company’s partnership with HAVENS. A poultry specialist from the Dutch company regularly visits GamHolland to work with its technical advisers, while Assan travels to the Netherlands for conferences and training. This ongoing exchange allows the Gambian team to keep developing its technical expertise rather than simply importing a finished product.
Building confidence in locally manufactured feed
One of the challenges Assan highlighted is not only technical, but also related to perception. Products labelled “Made in The Gambia” have traditionally not always been associated with the same level of quality as imported products. Changing this perception takes time. GamHolland has therefore focused on consistency and technical performance, while using the connection with HAVENS to bring additional expertise and specialised inputs into the production process.
Adapting the offer to local conditions
GamHolland has recently expanded its portfolio beyond conventional fast-growing broilers and layers by introducing slower-growing, dual-purpose birds, including red-feathered naked-neck chickens. These birds can be kept for longer and, if the farmer chooses, can reach around 4 kg live weight. They are more robust and their meat is particularly appreciated by local consumers for its taste. This type of bird can be an interesting option where production conditions are less suited to highly specialised fast-growing broilers, or where consumers value the characteristics of slower-growing poultry.
Our visit showed how GamHolland has evolved from a poultry producer into a feed manufacturer and technical service provider by responding to problems it had experienced itself. Rather than simply competing on the price of a bag of feed, the company is building its position through consistent quality, technical support and an offer adapted to the realities of Gambian poultry farming.
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