Monetizing Agricultural Production for the Smallholder Farmer
President Ernest Bai Koroma has told farmers, paramount chiefs and key institutions in the Agricultural sector that farmers and the people of Sierra Leone should earn what they honestly deserve.
The President made these remarks during the official launching of the Smallholder Commercialization Programme (SCP) in Kenema recently. The President observed that there is huge agricultural potential in the country, noting that “contributions of our friends in times of need and the unwavering commitment of this government to the sector are enough for farmers to live quality life as well as meaningfully contribute to the socio-economic growth and development of the country.
The President highlighted the problems of farming in Sierra Leone, citing, among many others, the lack of adequate support and the non-availability of needed farming materials, provision of modern and improved management practices that can by far outpace the traditional crop varieties of our farmers.
He also added that the lack of good feeder roads to facilitate effective and profitable marketing have unabatedly deprived our farmers of the reward they genuinely deserve. “But equally important and in diametric opposition to their counterparts in countries that are making name in agricultural development, our farmers are still using the primitive hoe and machete for agricultural production, a situation that cannot only salvage the individual farmer from hunger and grinding poverty but affect Sierra Leone as a nation in many,” he said.
Like the unshaken commitment and self speaking success of his government in thoughtfully prioritizing areas for development such as the energy sector, health and education, President Koroma confidently told his audience that the face of the agricultural sector would dramatically shift from the age-old subsistence and unprofitable farming to farming for serious business.
”Our farmers should be like their contemporaries in developed countries that do not only sufficiently feed their rapidly growing populations but live very comfortable life while meaningfully contributing to the socio-economic growth and development of their respective countries,” he said
President Koroma justified the choice of his government in supporting Smallholder farmer, saying ”they form the bulk of the population and are almost everywhere but paradoxically are the hardest hit in terms of material and food poverty. We must turn this unholy rising tide”.
He catalogued some of the efforts his government is vigorously pursuing in this direction including developing practical and meaningful policies to commercialize the sector so as to make agriculture not only profitable for our toiling farmers but make the country food secure and bring about social and economic prosperity in Sierra Leone.
In this regard, the President said that the lead ministry, Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security (MAFFS) has provided 253 tractors (as compared to 21 his government inherited with 19 in bad condition). He explained that his government has continued to provide farmers with vital farm inputs such as power tillers, combined harvesters, threshers and others to make farming an attractive business.
In addition, the Sierra Leone Agricultural Research Institute (SLARI) has been reformed, expanded and strengthened with a qualified Director-General with many years of international experience to improve our agricultural research system for the benefit of our impoverished farmers.
To this end, research is now conducted with the involvement and participation of our farmers. Putting farmers and other stakeholders at the centre of research will not only ensure that planting materials and other relevant innovations are developed and made available for adoption in line with their differing situations and interests but will also attract support than the traditional approach of confining it to the domain of academia. The provision of SLARI’s high yielding cassava varieties and cassava processing centres are powerful means of turning round the plight of our farmers and improving the tide of hunger and poverty.
For better agricultural productivity and production, he said that the agricultural sector has been aligned with the goals of the sub-region and the Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP) of the Africa Union (AU).
”We are not only far ahead in the CAADP process but have also developed our National Agricultural Sustainable Development Programme (NASDP) compatible with our unique situation,” he said.
President Koroma further disclosed that his government is also in line with the Maputo Declaration for African countries to provide not less than 10% of government budgetary resources to bring about a food secure continent as well as help stimulate its rapid economic growth and development.
”My government inherited as low as 1.6% but has soared it up to almost 10% which is an evident demonstration of the determined and unquestionable commitment of my government,” he said.
He explained that so much have been invested in the sector including money, valuable time and other resources. He therefore urged farmers especially the youths that are roaming in urban areas of the country to take full advantage of the opportunity to turn around their situation.
”The provision is a real motivation to help ourselves as individuals and our country”, he added. He described the notion held by many civil servants and other workers to engage in farming at retirement age as erroneous and misleading as farming can be very productive and rewarding at a period when energy is available.
The Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security (MAFFS), Dr. Joseph Sam Sesay gave a brief background to the SCP, saying it started in 2010 to provide farmer-based organizations the needed packages including training, advocacy, management of financial and human resources with a view to enabling their respective clients (farmers) to gainfully engage in commercial farming. He added that the benefits of the programme cut across all the districts.
He said that the programme is going to adopt the Farmer Field School Extension approach where the knowledge and long standing experience of our farmers is duly considered through their genuine involvement and participation.
”Unlike other previous agricultural development projects where our farmers were passive and perceived by experts as ignorant and unprogressive, this process of learning will now boost their morale and self esteem, leading to ownership and sustainability of the Smallholder Commercialization Programme,” he said.
In order to help bring more money into the pockets of our farmers, he revealed that the programme will provide farmers through their respective FBOs 150 Agricultural Business Centres (ABCs).
The Centres will be equipped among others with rice mills, cassava graters, drying floors and telephones to make available needed services to farmers as well as help facilitate and access market information for their produce. In addition to the provision of feeder roads to facilitate transportation of farmers’ produce, the programme will also provide financial services and strengthen social protection especially by providing food for work during the hungry season of the year.
Ministers government ministries and institutions in the sector including the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), National Federation of Farmers Sierra Leone, and representatives of civil society organizations expressed their profound appreciation for the initiative and the support they gave in making it a success, adding that they will continue to do so.
Speaking on behalf of his colleague Paramount Chiefs, Chairman of Paramount Chiefs of the Kenema District, Amara Bonyahun Vangahun enthusiastically commended the initiative of the shift from the labour consuming and unprofitable subsistence method of farming to commercial agriculture.
He said it is obvious that the programme will break the vicious circle of degrading the state of hunger and poverty and lift farmers to higher heights.
He however cautioned saying: “Paramount Chiefs and their subordinates are custodians of the land in their respective chiefdoms. Working in concert with them will enhance and promote commercial farming”.
By: Richard Bockarie (Snr) & Mohamed Conteh
Stay with Sierra Express Media, for your trusted place in news!
© 2010, https:. All rights reserved.
