Sierra Leone - Assessment of Agricultural Information Needs

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ASSESSMENT OF AGRICULTURAL INFORMATION NEEDS IN AFRICAN,

CARIBBEAN & PACIFIC (ACP) STATES FOR CTAS PRODUCTS ANDSERVICES

West Africa

Country Study: Sierra Leone

Final Report

Prepared by:

Abdulai Jalloh

on behalf of the

Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA)

Project: 4-7-41-207-5/b

July 2006


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Disclaimer

This report has been commissioned by the CTA to enhance its monitoring of information needs in ACP countries.CTA does not guarantee the accuracy of data included in this report, nor does it accept responsibility for any usemade thereof. The views and opinions expressed in this report are those of the author alone and do not necessarily

reflect the views of CTA. CTA reserves the right to select projects and recommendations that fall within its mandate.


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List of Acronyms

ACP African Caribbean and PacificAFRC Armed Forces Revolutionary CouncilAGORA Access to Global Online Research in AgricultureAGRIS International Information System for the Agricultural Sciences and Technology

AICU Agricultural Information and Communication UnitARC American Refugee CouncilCGIAR Consultative Group for International Agricultural ResearchCIAT Centro Internacional de Agricultura TropicalCSO Central Statistics OfficeCRS Catholic Relief ServiceCTA Technical Centre for Agriculture and Rural CooperationDACO Development Assistance Coordination OfficeDAF Department of Agriculture and ForestryECOWAS Economic Community of West African StatesFAO Food and Agriculture OrganizationFFS Farmer Field SchoolFSRE Farming System and Extension ResearchGDP Gross Domestic Product

GoSL Government of Sierra LeoneIADP Integrated Agricultural Development ProjectIAR Institute of Agricultural ResearchICRISAT International Centre for Research in Semi arid TropicsICT Information and Communication TechnologyIITA International Institute of Tropical AgricultureINGO International Non Governmental OrganizationIRRI International Rice Research InstituteISNAR International Service for National Agricultural ResearchLINKS Promoting Linkages for Livelihood Security and Economic DevelopmentLWDD Land and Water Development DivisionMAFMR Ministry of Agriculture Forestry and Marine resourcesMAFS Ministry of Agriculture and Food SecurityMANR&F Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Forestry

NAFSL National Association of Farmers of Sierra LeoneNARCC National Agricultural Research Coordinating CouncilNGO Non Governmental OrganizationNNGO National Non Governmental OrganizationNU Njala UniversityPEMSD Project Evaluation and Monitoring Services DivisionPRSP Poverty Reduction Strategy PaperPVS Participatory Varietal SelectionREL Research and Extension LiaisonROPPA Reseau des organisations paysans et des producteurs agricole de lAfrique de louestRRS Rice Research StationSAP Structural Adjustment ProgrammeSAPA Social Action for Poverty AlleviationSLHIS Sierra Leone HousingSLLB Sierra Leone Library BoardTEEAL The Essential Electronic Agricultural LibraryUNDP United Nations Development ProgrammeWARDA West Africa Rice Development AssociationWFP World Food Programme


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Exchange rates and date 21-07-06

Foreign currency Amount Sierra Leone currency Leone (Le)Buying Selling

1 British Pound 1.00 Le 4 960 Le 5 3002 European Euro 1.00 Le 3 420 Le 3 6603 Unites States Dollar $ 1.00 Le 2 850 Le 3 050


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Table of Contents

List of Acronyms ............................................................................................................................................iiEXECUTIVE SUMMARY .............................................................................................................................. vi1. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................... 12. COUNTRY PROFILE ........................................................................................................................... 11

2.1 Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry and Pastorialism .......................................................................... 122.1.1 Agriculture ................................................................................................................................... 12

2.1.2 Fisheries ..................................................................................................................................... 122.1.3 Forestry ....................................................................................................................................... 132.1.4 Pastoralism ................................................................................................................................. 13

2.2 Information and Communication Management Capacity ............................................................... 132.2.1 Agricultural Libraries ................................................................................................................... 142.2.2 Publishing Capacity .................................................................................................................... 152.2.3 Data Collection and Management .............................................................................................. 152.2.4 Extension Services ..................................................................................................................... 162.2.5Communication Capacity ............................................................................................................ 16

2.3 Agriculture Information Services .................................................................................................... 173. OVERVIEW OF ICM ISSUES IN AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT: DONOR INTERVENTIONS,

CAPACITY, SERVICES AND NEEDS ................................................................................................. 203.1 Current and Planned Donor Interventions ..................................................................................... 203.2 Institutional Needs Analysis ........................................................................................................... 21

3.2.1 Information Needs ...................................................................................................................... 213.2.2 Capacity-Building Needs ............................................................................................................ 25

4. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS .................................................................................... 294.1 Conclusions ................................................................................................................................... 29

4.1.1 Information Needs ...................................................................................................................... 294.1.2 Capacity-Building Needs ............................................................................................................ 304.1.3 Potential Partners and Beneficiaries .......................................................................................... 31

4.2 Recommendations ......................................................................................................................... 314.2.1Information Needs ...................................................................................................................... 314.2.2 Capacity-Building Needs ............................................................................................................ 314.2.3 Potential Partners ....................................................................................................................... 32

ANNEXES ................................................................................................................................................... 33

ANNEX I. TERMS OF REFERENCE .......................................................................................................... 34ANNEX II. COUNTRY PROFILE SIERRA LEONE.................................................................................. 39

II.1 General Agricultural Profile ........................................................................................................ 39II.1.1 Size of Agricultural Population (male/female/youth) ................................................................... 40II.1.2 Farmed Land, Forests and Fishing Areas .................................................................................. 41II.1.3 Agricultural Systems ................................................................................................................... 42II.1.4Agriculture in the Economy (% GDP) ......................................................................................... 43II.1.5 Main Agricultural Produce and Secondary Products .................................................................. 44II.1.6 Main Export Markets ................................................................................................................... 45II.1.7 Trade Agreements that include Agriculture ................................................................................ 47II.1.8 Sectoral Policy Related to Agriculture, Fisheries and Forests ................................................... 47

II.2 Socio-Economic Profile ..................................................................................................................... 50II.2.1 Demographics ............................................................................................................................. 50

II.2.2 Literacy Level and Languages .................................................................................................... 52II.2.3 Access to Services ..................................................................................................................... 53II.2.4 Rural Urban Drift ...................................................................................................................... 56

II.3 Media and Telecommunications ................................................................................................ 57II.3.1 Newspapers and periodicals ...................................................................................................... 57II.3.2 Telecommunication Services ...................................................................................................... 59II.3.3 Computers and the Internet ........................................................................................................ 60


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Executive summary

IntroductionThe Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA) was established in 1983 under theLom Convention between the ACP (African, Caribbean and Pacific) Group of States and the EuropeanUnion Member States. CTAs mandate is to develop and provide services that improve access to

information for agricultural and rural development, and to strengthen the capacity of ACP countries toproduce, acquire, exchange and utilise information in this area.

CTA works primarily through intermediary organizations and partners (non-governmental organizations,farmers organizations, regional organizations, ) to promote agriculture and rural development and todeliver its various information products and capacity building services. By partnering with theseorganizations, CTA seeks to increase the number of ACP organizations capable of generating andmanaging information and developing their own information and communication management strategies.The identification of appropriate partners is therefore of primordial importance.

In order to target its work better, CTA initiated a series of country level studies assessing the informationand information and communications management (ICM) needs of rural development activities in a

number of ACP countries in Pacific and Caribbean countries. This process is being continued in Africawith a particular focus on the needs of countries recovering from prolonged periods of conflict.

Objectives of the studyThe objectives of the study are as follows: to understand agricultural information needs that arise in post-conflict countries; to develop a strategy for CTAs approach to post-conflict countries; to improve the effectiveness of CTAs support for post-conflict countries to compile baseline data on the status of ICM and ICTs in agriculture and rural development in the 6

post-conflict countries.

MethodologyA desk study collected available data on general agriculture and socio-economic profile together withinformation on media and telecommunication. A comprehensive list of institutions involved in agricultureand rural development was then produced, followed by the selection of 11 key institutions found torepresent the diversity of interventions and spread throughout the country. A representative of each ofthese institutions was interviewed using a questionnaire designed by CTA.

Expected resultsThe expected results of the study include the following elements: an inventory of the status of agricultural information services, institutions and other actors and their

needs as their relate to physical infrastructure, information availability and access and human capacitydevelopment;

an assessment of the current and / or planned interventions of the government and bi- or multilateralagencies in the field of information for agriculture and rural development;

an overview of the needs of potential partners for CTA activities and services in terms of buildingcapacity for information and communication management;


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a short-list of potential partners / beneficiaries for CTA activities and services; baseline data to facilitate subsequent monitoring activities.

It is also expected that this study will provide the framework for CTA to develop a framework for action andfashion a strategy aimed at institutions in countries emerging from conflict situations and provide input intoits 2007 2010 strategic plan.

Findings

The study revealed a rather paradoxical case of tremendous potential for positive contribution ofagricultural information in the agricultural and overall development of the country while there is anapparent unawareness of such potential, particularly by the farmers who are mainly subsistence andlargely illiterate.

Major agricultural information sources include libraries (research institutions, universities, regionalgovernment libraries, and other agencies), newspapers, and FM radio stations. The stock of books,

journals, newsletters, etc. in the libraries is inadequate and often not up-to-date. The research institutionsand the agricultural university have close links with International Agricultural Research institutions of theConsultative Group for International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) and CTA which serve as importantsources of information. There is a proliferation of FM radio stations in many parts of the country providinglocal news and other relevant information on various aspects including the agricultural sector.

There is generally a divergent requirement for information by all involved in the agricultural sector,including the national research system, farmers, manufacturers and businessmen. Agricultural data ismainly collected by the monitoring wing of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food security together with otheragencies like WFP and the Central Statistics Office. The Governments extension service is largelyinadequate due to limited personnel and improper remuneration. Better resourced NGOs are taking upmore and more extensions functions. The Farmer Field School approach is being tested by the Ministry ofAgriculture and Food Security to address personnel problems and involve farmers more in technologydevelopment, verification and dissemination.

ConclusionsThe war in Sierra Leone did a lot of damage to both infrastructure and human resources. The existing

capacity to effectively carry out proper collection, storage and dissemination of information is,consequently, limited. The high level of illiteracy among farmers poses serious challenges in effectivelycommunicating with them. There is however, tremendous potential in the proliferating FM radio stations toeffectively disseminate information including agricultural information to all stakeholders in the agriculturalsector. CTA products and services when effectively redeployed in Sierra Leone will positively impact onagricultural development of the country.

RecommendationsAgainst the background of the tremendous potential of a well-developed and focused informationcollection, storage and dissemination, for agricultural development in Sierra Leone and in view of the trailof devastation by the war in the country, a systematic and comprehensive revamping of ICM is imperative.There is a primary need for the promotion of the use of information particularly among the largely illiterate

farming population to create an effective demand for information products and services that will positivelyimpact on agricultural production, the quality of such products and the general well being of the farmers.

Information needs

Attention should be given to the increasing specialisation of farmers as they become more market-oriented, thereby narrowing their choice of crops and consequently the type of information they wouldrequire.

Increasingly, there will be need for specialised sources of information dealing with specific types ofinformation for example, the emerging private sector will be more interested in available markets andappropriate prices for their products. Avenues for the development of such specialised facets aredesirable.


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Capacity building needs

Sierra Leone has been hard hit by the eleven year civil war with a weak economic base that requiresconsiderable assistance. There should be concerted effort to solicit the provision of basiccommunication equipment (computers, scanners, video documentary production equipment, etc.) tokey partners.

Specific training in IT and documentation is absolutely essential. Symbols designating key facts and figures should be harmonised and popularised among farmers to

facilitate communication with them. Also, extension personnel should undergo special training to betterunderstand farmers.

Adult education need to be supported to enable farmers to comprehend common written messagesand to conduct simple transactions.

Potential partnersIn the immediate future, partners should include the two research institutions, the national Association ofFarmers of Sierra Leone and the Agricultural Information Unit of the Ministry of Agriculture and FoodSecurity. These partners will provide vital link, feedback and support for CTAs intervention in SierraLeone. Identification of these partners is against the background that these are the gateway to the entirefarming population of Sierra Leone now and in the immediate future. It is envisaged that with thedevolution of authority to the District Councils and Local authorities and the improvement in radio and

television, there may be need to engage the farmers through the Farmer Field Schools if the experiment issuccessful or the District Councils.

Strategic recommendationThere is need for a pilot project to be designed for implementation with farmers in Sierra Leone to involvetechnology development/adaptation and transfer comprising farmers, researchers, processors andretailers and incorporating awareness-raising in the need and use of information, tapping indigenousknowledge, sharing of information and capacity building.

Farmers in Northern Sierra Leone have started growing Irish potatoes against the general perception thatthe crop is not adaptable to prevailing conditions in the country. This is a possible avenue for research tocapitalize on farmers initiative and establish a strong link between the two and create a platform for

effective communication. CTA could partner with the Institute of Agricultural Research which has themandate for research on Irish potato to develop an appropriate project.


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1. INTRODUCTION

1. The Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA) was established in 1983 under theLom Convention between the ACP (African, Caribbean and Pacific) Group of States and theEuropean Union Member States. Since 2000, it has operated within the framework of the ACP-ECCotonou Agreement.

2.CTAs tasks are to develop and provide services that improve access to information for agricultural andrural development, and to strengthen the capacity of ACP countries to produce, acquire, exchange andutilise information in this area. CTAs programmes are organised around three principal activities:providing an increasing range and quantity of information products and services and enhancingawareness of relevant information sources; supporting the integrated use of appropriatecommunication channels and intensifying contacts and information exchange (particularly intra-ACP);and developing ACP capacity to generate and manage agricultural information and to formulateinformation and communication management (ICM) strategies, including those relevant to science andtechnology. These activities take account of methodological developments in cross-cutting issues(gender, youth, information & communication technologies ICTs, and social capital), findings fromimpact assessments and evaluations of ongoing programmes as well as priority information themes forACP agriculture1.

3. CTAs activities are currently distributed among three operational programme areas / departments:

Information Products and Services; Communication Channels and Services; Information and Communication Management Skills and Systems.

4. These operational departments are supported by Planning and Corporate Services (P&CS) which ischarged with the methodological underpinning of their work and monitoring the ACP environment inorder to identify emerging issues and trends and make proposals for their translation into programmesand activities. In order to target its work better CTA initiated a series of country level studies assessingthe information and information and communications management (ICM) needs of rural development

activities in a number of ACP countries in Pacific and Caribbean countries. This process is beingcontinued in Africa with a particular focus on the needs of countries recovering from prolonged periodsof conflict.

5. Institutions, economic, social and physical infrastructure are altered by conflict, depending on thescale, duration and type of war. At one extreme, formal political, social and economic institutions maybe completely destroyed, while the importance and type of informal institutions may be changed2. Thisstatement is largely true of the 6 post-conflict countries forming the object of this study (Angola,Mozambique, Guinea Bissau, Sierra Leone, Eritrea and Rwanda). These countries are presently atdifferent stages of the post-conflict rehabilitation process with some being more advanced than othersand have been receiving support from various bi- and multilateral agencies in this regard. CTA hascommissioned this study in order to gain better insight into the agricultural information needs of

institutions in these affected countries and the actions of other agencies in this area.

6. The objectives of this study are to:

contribute to economic development through capacity building in the area of agriculturalinformation management and knowledge sharing;

develop a strategy for CTAs approach to post-conflict countries;

1Priority information themes for ACP agriculture have formed the basis of various several studies, workshops and seminars bringing togethervarious stakeholders, organisations and institutions active in the field of agriculture and rural development. The documents (or extracts thereof)will be provided to the consultants.


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improve the effectiveness of CTAs support for post-conflict countries; compile baseline data on the status of ICM and ICTs in agriculture and rural development in the

6 post-conflict countries.

7. The study should assist CTA to improve and better target interventions and activities aimed at potentialpartners and beneficiaries (including women, youth, private sector and civil society organisations); tohave a more informed picture of their needs and aid in the elaboration of a strategy and framework ofaction. The study also highlights where there are specific needs for CTAs products and services

thereby enabling improvement in the delivery of the same.

8. A desk study using already published data throws light on the agricultural and socio-economic profileand the status of the media and telecommunications together with a list of institutions involved inagriculture and rural development make up the annex of the study. Eleven of these institutions wereselected to cover the diverse characteristic, interest groups and coverage of the institutions to reflectthe as much as possible the true scenario of the partners in agricultural development in Sierra Leone.

9. A questionnaire designed by CTA was administered by the consultant to key representatives of theseinstitutions to provide basis for the objectives of the study. The study revealed that most of theinstitutions were not aware of the existence of CTA. Information needs and the management ofinformation with associated challenges were revealed and suggestions were made regarding the key

constraints with a view to improvement in information management by the relevant institutions.


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2. COUNTRY PROFILE

10.Sierra Leone has a population of 4,963,298 and lies on the West coast of Africa covering an area of72,300 km2 of which 5.4 million ha (74 % of total land area) are potentially cultivable. Sierra Leoneseconomy is largely based on two sectors: agriculture and mining. In addition to a largely favourable

environment for agriculture with abundant rainfall (2000 4500 mm per annum), diverse agro-ecologies and biodiversity, the country has rich marine resources and minerals including diamonds,gold, rutile and iron ore.

11.Major food crops produced and consumed in Sierra Leone include rice, which is the countrys staple,cassava, sweet potato, yam, maize, groundnut, and oil palm; while cocoa, coffee, and ginger, areexport crops. Livestock include, cattle, poultry, goats, sheep and pigs. Crop and animal production aremainly carried out by small-scale farmers with major constraints like lack of inputs, declining soilfertility, increasing pests and diseases, in addition to significant postharvest losses.

12.Sierra Leone has sixteen ethnic groups each with its own language. The Mendes, Temnes and Limbasare the three largest groups comprising approximately 60 % of the total population. About 55 % of thepopulation are Muslims while Christians make up about 30 % and the remaining 10 15 % hasindigenous beliefs. Unlike other nations with considerable religious and ethnic intolerance, SierraLeone is fostering enviable religious and tribal coexistence. English is the official language ofgovernment while Creole, a language based on English but incorporates words and syntax from otherAfrican and European languages such as Yoruba, French and Portuguese is the lingua franca. At 31%, Sierra Leones adult literacy rate is one of the lowest in the world.

13.Despite these vast resource endowments, Sierra Leone is one of the poorest countries with a GDP percapita income estimated at about US $ 120 in 2003, which is less than half of what it was in 1980(GoSL, 2005a). Since the mid 1980s, the country has suffered economic decline and politicalinstability. It has gone through five military coups, and a brutal armed conflict that lasted for 11 years(March 1991 January 2002). The war caused extensive damage to an already inadequate economicand social infrastructure leading to further deterioration in the living standards of a hard-pressedpopulation with one of the worst human development and social indicators; including high infantmortality rate (284/1000), high maternal mortality rate (1,800/100,000 live births), poor access to healthservices (40 %), and safe water (57 %) while life expectancy at birth is 34 years (GoSL, 2005a). Thereis a significant shortfall in domestic food production creating an imminent threat for food insecurityamong the highly vulnerable groups of society. Already, food imports are costing the country high andit would be worse if the trend of low investment in agriculture continues and the 2.6 % annual growthrate in population continues unchecked.

14.In the light of this, improved agricultural productivity is an important priority for Sierra Leone. Both theVision 2025 Project and the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) which proposes actions thatshould not only impact immediately on the living conditions of the people but also lay a solid base fromwhich to address the long-term causes of conflict and poverty, give significant emphasis for increasingfood security through improved agricultural productivity supported by intensification of agriculture andsustainable management of natural resources. In addition to national census, a comprehensive reviewof the agricultural sector has been concluded providing a profile of the countrys agricultural sector andits natural and human resource base, its institutions and its development strategies and policymeasures. Major sector reforms are at an advanced stage and progress has been made instrengthening accountability and transparency, anti-corruption and monitoring of service delivery.Political devolution has also progressed with the enactment of the local Government Act 2004. Anotherpeaceful national election in 2007 will be a strong indicator of peace and growing democracy, bothessential ingredients for sustainable development.


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2.1 Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry and Pastorialism

2.1.1 Agriculture

15.Agriculture is the dominant sector in the economy, employing about 70 % of the population before thecivil war that started in 1991. The war led to a significant displacement of the rural population resultingin an estimated farming population of 51 % after the official end of the war in 2002. About 45 % of the

farming population are women. Despite being the largest single employer, the agricultural sectorcontributed about half of GDP in 1993/94 and it still contributes only 47 % (GoSL, 2005b/Annex11.1.4).

16.Crop production is the main source of livelihood in Sierra Leone for over 50 % of the countryspopulation. About 600,000 660,000 ha of the land (10 12 % of cultivable area) is cropped eachyear by about 400,000 farm families. Food production in Sierra Leone is in the hands of small scalefarmers who produce barely enough for home consumption with little or none for the market.Widespread use of unimproved crop varieties, limited use of fertilizer, coupled with unimproved culturalpractices adversely affects agricultural production. The crop sub-sector, with the countrys staple, ricedominating, contributes about 75 % of agricultural GDP. Annual per capita consumption of rice isamongst the highest in sub-Saharan Africa. It is estimated that domestic production of rice currently

accounts for up to 60 % of the total annual national requirement for rice of 550,000 mt. The bush fallowrotational farming system predominates. All the major food crops are cropped through this system andup to 15 and more different crops (sorghum, millet, maize, fundi (digitaria), benniseed, groundnuts,cowpeas, root crops and tubers including cassava, sweet potato, and yam together with a host ofvegetables) are traditionally grown in mixed stands, with upland rice dominating. The upland agro-ecology represents approximately 80 % of cultivable land, and the rest are lowlands (inland valleyswamps, bolilands, riverain grassland, and mangrove) with potential for high crop yields under soundmanagement practices (GoSL, 2005b/Annex 11.1)..

17.Various lowland ecologies are also used for the cultivation of rice invariably under flooded conditions.Tree crop plantations in the Eastern region constitute the bulk of agricultural exports and the domesticpalm oil supply. The main tree crops are coffee, cocoa, oil palm and kola nut followed by rubber,

cashew, orange and mango.

18.Urban/peri-urban agriculture hitherto not receiving due attention is increasingly getting into thelimelight. A lot of women have been engaged in cultivating small plots of vegetables for the urbanmarket in most urban areas in Sierra Leone where there is a ready market for such high value crops.Vegetables like tomatoes, cucumbers, pepper, garden eggs, lettuce, cabbage and potato leaves aregrown in empty lots and around refuse dumps with ready organic manure. Access to market and wateris encouraging the growth of the vegetable market in urban areas.

19.Post-war Sierra Leone is experiencing a growth in peri-urban agriculture with labour provided bydisplaced people from the rural areas. Expansion in urban/peri-urban agriculture has increased thesupply of vegetables and stabilised prices in urban areas. Urban/peri-urban agriculture has thereforehelped greatly in providing employment for displaced people who might have been forced into unlawfulactivities. However, the engagement of the displaced people has also contributed to the reluctance ofthese people to return to their original homes thereby congesting the urban areas and putting pressureon the already inadequate facilities. The Government of Sierra Leone (GoSL) is far advanced innegotiations with the African Development Bank to fund peri-urban agriculture projects aimed at bettercoordinating the efforts of these farmers and improving their productivity.

2.1.2 Fisheries

20.Along its coastline of 570 km and the continental shelf area of 25,600 km2, Sierra Leone is rich withmarine resources. It is also well endowed with inland waters (rivers, lakes, and flood plains) which


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support a large number of aquatic organisms. Fishing is carried out largely by local canoes whichexploit the inshore waters and the three large estuaries in the north-west and south of the country.There are an estimated 20,000 full time fisher men operating with some 6,000 boats of different sizesand designs. The level of boat motorization is about 16 %. A variety of fishing gears are in use (Ringnets, Drift nets, Beach seines, Cast nets, Hook and line). The bulk of the fish produced by the artisanalsector is consumed locally. Industrial fishing is mainly done by foreign fleets. Aquaculture is not yet ofsignificance. Total catch is currently estimated at 65,000 mt with artisanal production accounting for upto 70 %. The fisheries sub-sector contributes 21 % of agricultural GDP.

2.1.3 Forestry

21.Forestry has contributed between 9 % and 13 % of GDP since 1984/85. Most of the country is in themoist tropical zone. Fuel wood and charcoal production is the most important forestry activity andprovides a supplementary source of income for most farmers. A variety of wildlife resources areavailable in various ecosystems such as mountains, hills, lakes, and inland and coastal wetlands. Thecountry has fauna and flora of international importance suitable for eco-tourism. Only 5 % of the totalland area is now covered by closed forest (approximately, 640,000 ha), the remainder having beingconverted by cultivation mainly to farm fallow scrub and to secondary forest re-growth; and in someareas, to derived savannah. The productive timber area is estimated at about 180,250 ha. Wood isobtained from bush fallow and mangrove forests. Fish thrive in mangrove swamps, and oysters aregathered from the roots of Rhizophora, pointing to an urgent need for good agroforestry practices inthe coastal regions. In the Gola Rainforest arrangements are underway to designate conservationareas.

2.1.4 Pastoralism

22.Livestock are kept mainly by semi-nomadic Fula herders in the Northern part of the country. All theruminants are indigenous populations of well adapted trypano-tolerant animals. Poultry are the mostwidely owned form of livestock and also the most numerous. Pigs are the least widely owned andmainly found in urban areas. The countrys livestock population was severely depleted during theconflict. Livestock represents 4 % of agricultural GDP. Open grazing is generally practiced with cattle

driven away in search of fresh fields by herd boys during the day and kept in wooden fence enclosuresduring the night. Women have the responsibility for looking after calves. They also milk the cows andprocess the milk into butter and yoghurt which they sell in nearby markets or along the roadsides.

2.2 Information and Communication Management Capacity

23.GoSL with assistance from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is developing aCommunication Policy. Consultations with relevant stakeholders have already been held and a draftdocument is being discussed. Hitherto, there were no guidelines for communication. However, there isno indication that there will be a specific communication policy on agriculture. It is expected that thepolicy will cover all forms of communication. An Act of Parliament established The Independent Media

Commission (IMC) in 2000 as an autonomous body for the regulation of mass media institutions andfor other related matters connected therewith. Among other objectives, the IMC was established topromote technological research and the development of adequate human resources for theadvancement of the media industry throughout Sierra Leone (IMC, 2005).

24.A large number of FM radio stations cover various parts of the country while television is still poorlydeveloped and covers only the capital city, Freetown. There is a vibrant local press with about 40active newspapers. One of the major challenges of the IMC is the controversy over the criminal libellaw, which is hotly debated. The mass media in Sierra Leone, particularly the radio, which broadcast inlocal languages and host phone in programmes, which give people the opportunity to air their views,provides huge opportunities for positive contribution to agricultural development in the country.


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25.In the agricultural sector, which is largely dominated by subsistence farmers, there is no apparentmanifestation of the awareness of the need for information. The majority of institutions do not have aseparate information strategy. Where a unit for the storage of documents exists, there is usually noqualified personnel for the proper handing of information. There is insufficient effort and initiative inpromoting the need and usefulness of information as a major ingredient for agricultural development.

2.2.1 Agricultural Libraries

26.There are many libraries in Sierra Leone hosting collections of agricultural documents. The SierraLeone Library Board (SLLB) owned by the Government of Sierra Leone operates a library in the capitalcity and in each of the three provincial headquarter towns of Bo in the South, Kenema in the East andMakeni in the North. These libraries stock books in virtually all disciplines, including agriculture andcater mostly for primary schools and secondary schools together with teacher training colleges.Trained librarians man these libraries in all the regions. These libraries mostly depend on donationswith very old collections and virtually no journals. The Sierra Leone gazette, which containsgovernment policies including agriculture, is one of the main collections of SLLB. None of thegovernment libraries have Internet facilities and the telephone connection is not reliable.

27.The Njala University (NU) which was a component of the University of Sierra Leone then called NjalaUniversity College has a library which caters for the need of students in the College of Agriculture. Thelibrary has a huge collection of books in agriculture and related subjects, journals, monographs,newsletters, newspapers, briefs, etc. including various CTA publications. It should be noted that thewar disrupted the link with CTA and therefore no CTA collections are received now. Under the NjalaUniversity College, a common library was shared by all the faculties. Sections were thereforedesignated for the various disciplines. The faculties have now been upgraded to Schools/colleges andthe College of Agriculture will now occupy the main campus with exclusive use of the library. Morespace is therefore available for collections. There are trained librarians at the NU library but there isdire need to keep up with subscriptions of the major journals and stocking of new books. The librarycurrently in Freetown has Internet facilities. The Njala campus is being rehabilitated and will hopefullybe connected by the time the faculty is relocated. At the moment, the campus is covered by two of themobile companies operating in the country, but do not provide Internet facilities. It is, however,possible that these companies will be able to provide Internet facilities as promised by the time thecollege is relocated.

28.The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (MAFS) has an Agricultural Information andCommunication Unit (AICU) at the Ministrys headquarters in Freetown. The unit has a library thatexclusively hosts agriculture and agriculture related rural development publications including books,monographs and CDs. There are presently no trained personnel to handle the library and the unit isnot connected to the Internet.

29.The two research institutions Institute of Agricultural Research (IAR) at Njala in Southern SierraLeone and the Rice Research Station (RRS) at Rokupr in the North, both coordinated by the NationalAgricultural Research Coordinating Council (NARCC) in the capital city Freetown, have libraries.

These libraries have an appreciable collection of agriculture-related publications in the form of books,monographs, journals, etc. The Rice Research Station which has the mandate for research on thecountrys staple rice has a greater number of the publications dealing with rice. A good number ofpublications by the West Africa Rice Development Association (WARDA) and the International RiceResearch Institute (IRRI) are available at the RRS library. The Institute of Agricultural Research (IAR)with a mandate for other major food crops apart from rice has publications on the root and tubers,grain legumes, and maize. A good number of publications from the International Institute of TropicalAgriculture (IITA), Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical (CIAT), the International Centre forResearch in Semi Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) and the International Service for National AgriculturalResearch (ISNAR) are available at the IAR library. Both libraries also have collections dealing with


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socio- economics, gender issues and rural development. The Institute of Agricultural Research alsosubscribes to The Essential Electronic Agricultural Library (TEEAL) developed by Cornell Universitywhich provides access to articles published by 140 agricultural journals. Some staff members of IARare also benefiting from the SDI service provided by CTA. Similar to Njala University, both researchinstitutions have Internet facilities at the Freetown offices but not at the headquarters at Njala andRokupr for IAR and RRS, respectively. Both institutions are expressing the need for a landlinetelephone connection to have access to the Internet. There is a strong possibility that Internet will beprovided by the emerging wireless telephone companies.

30.The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) representation in Freetown operates a document centrefor its publications. In addition, FAO Rome also provides online access to major journals in agricultureand related biological, environmental and social sciences through the Access to Global OnlineResearch in Agriculture (AGORA) for developing countries. The research institutions (IAR and RRS)and NU, are eligible for free AGORA service on http://www.agInternetwork.org. However, for now theycan only access AGORA while in Freetown but not at Njala and Rokupr due to the lack of Internetfacilities at both locations.

2.2.2 Publishing Capacity

31.There are about 20 printing presses in Sierra Leone, while there is only one local publisher (MountEverest) and two international publishers (Evans Brothers Ltd. and Macmillan). The Governmentoperates the largest printing press used mainly to print government documents including the SierraLeone Gazette as well as acts and bills from Parliament.

32.Major agricultural publications include annual reports, newsletters, and monographs which are usuallycontracted to private printers while fact sheets are mostly printed by the various institutions.Newspapers often carry agriculture-related news items and feature articles. These are printed byprivate printers. The Awoko newspaper has a printing press while the majority of newspapers hireprivate printers.

2.2.3 Data Collection and Management

33.The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has a Project Evaluation and Monitoring ServicesDivision (PEMSD) which is responsible for the collection, analysis and dissemination of agriculturalstatistics. Each year, data on crop and animal production including farm size, yield, and othercomponents are collected by PEMSD. Similarly, the Ministry of Healths monitoring unit periodicallycollects data on various aspects of the national nutrition status.

34.Annually, PEMSD publishes the Agricultural Survey Report comprising the status of agriculturalproduction including crops and animals. The World Food Programme (WFP) and several InternationalNon Governmental Organizations collect various livelihood data in their operational areas.

35.The Central Statistics Office (CSO) is responsible for overall statistics of the country including the

population census publishes agricultural data obtained from PEMSD. In addition, the DevelopmentAssistance and Coordination Office (DACO) supported by UNDP publishes the Encyclopaedia forSierra Leone designed to facilitate information sharing and aims to enable better and more informedcoordination, decision-making, development planning and policy formulation http://www.humanitarianinfo.org/slis.

36.The government has set up the Right to Food secretariat with assistance from the FederalGovernment of Germany to coordinate various efforts aimed at achieving the right to food in SierraLeone. One of the principal functions of the secretariat is the coordination of data for all relevantinstitutions with a direct relationship to food security.


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37.Recently, one of the mobile phone companies (Celtel) has launched a new service called Know it all.Subscribers can text a designated number and will be supplied with market data including the price ofessential food stuffs, schedule of the major airlines and a host of other market-related data.

2.2.4 Extension Services

38.Extension plays a fundamental role in agricultural development. In Sierra Leone, the Government hasfacilitated access to agricultural extension to expedite agricultural growth. Delivery has until recentlybeen managed and funded mainly by MAFS, Government research institutions (IAR and RRS), andparastatals. Extension systems tended to rely exclusively on government staff, whose capacity tomaintain regular contacts between the different layers of the service as well as farmers wasconstrained by lack of transport and high recurrent costs. Furthermore, inadequate training of frontlineextension staff restricted their ability to adequately respond to issues raised by farmers. NGOs withtheir decentralised structure are now providing much of the extension advice replacing the hierarchicalstructure of government services.

39.Between the government and the NGOs over ten different extension delivery and managementsystems notably the Training and Visit System (T&V), the Integrated Agricultural Development (IADP)and the Farming Systems Research and Extension (FSRE) concept have been tested in the country.

40.The two research institutions are taking up extension responsibilities against the background of theinefficient government system. IAR has an outreach programme while RRS has the ResearchExtension Liaison (REL) system that links research with farmers. Recently, both institutions haveadopted the Participatory Varietal Selection (PVS) system to ensure the effective and less costlymethod of involving farmers in developing crop varieties and ensuring widespread adopting ofvarieties.

41.Currently, the major emphasis is on the development of community-based extension systems, withincreased stakeholder participation and funding. Farmers Field Schools (FFS) are the latest extensionmechanism being tested in Sierra Leone. The experiment is based on the acceptance that extensionsystems designed to deliver messages to farmers in a prescriptive manner are not likely to be effectivein a country characterized by immense agro-ecological and ethnic diversity. The initial field school isexpected to evolve into a community support group that would address the multifaceted aspects offood security, including measures to improve productivity and marketing opportunities, seed banks,simple processing equipment, diversify production, reduce risks, mitigate the effects of HIV/AIDS andput in place safety nets.

2.2.5 Communication Capacity

42.Communication of agricultural-related information takes several formats depending on the source andpotential target. The traditional extension system that is now being replaced by the Farmers FieldSchools depended on contacts between the extension agent and the farmer. There is directcommunication between the two verbally and at times reading materials are delivered. The advantage

of this system is that there is direct feedback but the major draw back is the need for adequate numberof agents to service the large number of farmers.

43.The research institutions are increasingly taking up extension responsibilities with adequate staff tocover farmers in their areas of operation where the National Extension System is inadequate. Suchareas are usually designated domains with characteristics representing other parts of the countrywhere similar research results can be extrapolated. A verified technology is then passed on to theMinistry of Agriculture and Forestry, which has responsibility to cover the entire country, and in manycases to NGOs who then pass on these technologies to farmers in their areas of operations.


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44.One-page fact sheets on various crops are produced in English and distributed to farmers during fielddays and trade fairs. Newspapers are used for the publication of feature articles in agriculture. Majorevents like field days are also reported in newspapers with some of the important messages. Eventhough most of the farmers are illiterate, it has been realised that they benefit from information on factsheets and even in newspapers although they are written in English. When the farmers go back totheir villages, their children and other relatives translate these fact sheets to them. In some cases, theyuse teachers resident in the villages to translate the fact sheets. The farmers often keep these factsheets as very important documents. In addition, there is a growing number of literate people

particularly civil servants going into agriculture who can adequately read and understand these factsheets.

45.The radio is widely used for the delivery of agricultural messages. In the past two years alladministrative districts have been provided with FM radio stations. Effectively, all regions in SierraLeone are covered by radio. The important development here is that discussions are carried out in thelocal languages enabling local people to get the messages correctly. The on-going decentralizationand associated devolution of responsibilities including agricultural production to the district councils willgreatly ensure the active participation of people at the grassroots in having a say on issues affectingtheir livelihood.

46.The use of Internet is limited to communication between researchers and with NGOs. The Consortium

for Rural Development (CORAD) comprising four international NGOs (CARE, CRS, World Vision andARC) funded by USAID and UNDP in collaboration with the Talking Drum Studio has a commonpublication to promote linkages for livelihood security and economic development (LINKS). TheCommon Grounds Studio also produces various radio programmes relating to agriculture and ruraldevelopment in the major local languages which are broadcast on most of the radio stations in thecountry.

2.3 Agriculture Information Services

47.There is a significant variation among the various categories of institutions with regard to the type andsources of information. Both research institutions and the university have or have had contact withCTA. The private institutions and all the NGOs except the National Association of Farmers of SierraLeone (NAFSL) have not had any direct contact with CTA. However, the Director of the Kamchewenterprises had heard of CTA while as Permanent Secretary at the then Ministry of Agriculture,Forestry and Natural Resources (MAFNR). Efforts are underway for CTA to support the linking of theNAFSL with their counterparts in neighbouring Liberia.

48.However, undoubtedly, the great majority of institutions and farmers in Sierra Leone do benefit directlyor most often indirectly from CTA products and services without being aware that the support comesfrom CTA. On many occasions, scientists have shared with their colleagues research articlesrequested through the Selective Dissemination of Information (SDI) service of CTA. In the past twoyears, scientists from the university and the two research institutions have attended scientific writingand data management courses sponsored by CTA. Most farmers and fellow colleagues have benefited

from knowledge gained in these courses through assistance in editing their reports and proposals forfunding. In addition, presentations by scientists have improved significantly over the years enablingthem to appropriately report and convey research results at annual work reviews and journals.

49.Some staff members of IAR are still benefiting from the SDI service provided by CTA. However, agood number of IAR staff on the SDI mailing list have either died or have left the institution, while someexisting staff members are no longer receiving the service. There is an ongoing effort to update themailing list. Moreover, IAR has contacted other institutions to enrol for the service.


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50.The main sources of information for the research institutions and the university are The EssentialElectronic Agricultural Library (TEEAL - Cornell university) subscribed to by IAR and shared with theother institutions, the Internet, FAO and the international research institutions with special linkagesdepending on common mandates IAR with IITA and CIAT while RRS is linked to WARDA and IRRI.The University and the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security have a general collection from allpartners since they are serving a wider interest. There is also the exchange of information, mainlyresearch findings, amongst the institutions.

51.The private companies rely on the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the research institutions andthe University, the radio, meetings, Fairs and Exhibitions. The Cotton Tree Enterprise uses theAGRIMAX Commodities of Holland as a broker and a valuable source for specific informationregarding standards of product required.

52.In addition to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and NGOs seek information from the radioand meetings. The National Association of Farmers of Sierra Leone maintains a very strong link withthe research institutions and the regional organizations such as the Economic Community for WestAfrican States (ECOWAS) and the Reseau des Organisations paysans et de Producteurs agricoles deLAfrique de LOeust (ROPPA). Also, the local NGO Movement for Children and Women in Need andthe International NGO Catholic Relief Services identified the Ministry of Development as a regularsource of information.

53.CRS also has close contact with CIAT in the form of a learning alliance wherein CIAT providesresource persons for the Agro Enterprise Development Project. CRS like most other internationalNGOs use the Internet to search for information.

Table 1. Main Sources of Information for Institutions Interviewed

Category of Institution Institution Sources of information

Research and University

Institute of Agricultural Research AGORA, TEEAL, IITA, CTA,FAO, CIAT, WARDA, NU, RRS,newspapers, IFPRI, colleagues,Internet.

Rice Research Station TEEAL, CTA, FAO, WARDA,newspapers, IAR, NU,colleagues, Internet.

Njala University TEEAL, IITA, CTA, FAO, IAR,RRS, WARDA, newspapers,colleagues, Internet.

Ministry of Agriculture and FoodSecurity

Agricultural Information andCommunication Unit

AGRIS, FAO, CTA, IAR, RRS,NU, NAFSL, JICA, NARCC

Private CompaniesCotton tree Enterprises AGRIMAX Commodities,

Internet, MAFS, NU, LWDD,Personal contact.

Kamchew Enterprises MAFS, NAFSL, radio, meeting

with beneficiaries, Fairs andExhibitions.

Local Non GovernmentalOrganizations

National Association of Farmersof Sierra Leone

IAR, RRS, MAFS, ROPA,ECOWAS, Radio,

Movement for Children andWomen in Need

CARE-SL, Ministry ofDevelopment, Ministry of Health

Livestock Extension and GeneralServices

MAFS, radio, meeting withbeneficiaries,

MuaWoma Rural WomensAssociation

Radio, MAFS, Meeting withbeneficiaries, fairs andexhibitions.


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Category of Institution Institution Sources of information

International Non GovernmentalOrganization

Catholic Relief Services Internet, MAFS, Ministry ofDevelopment, IAR, RRS, NU,CIAT


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3. OVERVIEW OF ICM ISSUES IN AGRICULTURE AND RURALDEVELOPMENT: DONOR INTERVENTIONS, CAPACITY, SERVICES ANDNEEDS

3.1 Current and Planned Donor Interventions

54.The transformation of the agricultural sector highlighted in the Agricultural Sector Review documenthas profound implications for the roles of the public and private sectors in the provision of agriculturalservices in post-war Sierra Leone. It requires that the government provides a facilitatory environmentthrough improvements in roads, utilities and other rural infrastructure as well as regulatory frameworks,while allowing the private sector to engage in production and marketing activities.

55.The current Decentralization and Local Government Reform Programme which is heavily donorfunded seeks to reactivate local government institutions and to strengthen their capacity to carry outtheir functions at the local level. The programme also envisages the devolution of authority and thetransfer of certain functions, services and responsibilities from the central government to elected LocalCouncils. Among others it is intended to:

create opportunities for participatory democracy; create a mechanism for the dissemination of important information about national and local issues

and the opportunity to discuss them at the local level;

give greater control to local people over their resources by involving them in the mobilization,allocation and utilization of funds;

improve the delivery services to the rural communities.

56.Closely linked with decentralization is the evident donor support for the establishment of CommunityRadios in virtually all parts of the country. This is a direct support to improvement in communication

particularly with local programmes being aired in local languages and possibilities for feedback throughphone-in slots increasingly being facilitated by the growing coverage of mobile phones particularly inthe rural areas.

57.To better improve and coordinate information collection and dissemination, UNDP is supporting thedrawing up of a Communication Policy for Sierra Leone. This follows the establishment of theIndependent Media Commission by an Act of parliament in 2000 as an autonomous body for theregulation of mass media institutions and for other matters connected therewith. It is envisaged that awell-developed policy framework will guide and improve information collection and dissemination withthe desired impact on development.

58.Following a long period of an ineffective agricultural extension system in Sierra Leone, NGOs with their

decentralised structures are providing much of the extension advisory services replacing thehierarchical structure of government services. Based on the acceptance that extension systemsdesigned to deliver messages to farmers in a prescriptive manner are not likely to be effective in acountry characterized by immense agro-ecological and ethnic diversity, the Farmer Field School(FFS) approach is being promoted in Sierra Leone with funding from FAO, UNDP and USAID.Originally developed in Asia for promoting the uptake of Integrated Pest Management System in ricefarming, FFS are now being used in many developing countries to empower farmers groups toacquire, adapt and act upon knowledge and many other aspects of farming and rural life relevant toparticular needs.


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59.The Development Relief Programme (DRP) is a USAID-funded transitional assistance programmedesigned by four international NGOs who have formed the Consortium for Rehabilitation andDevelopment (CORAD) to implement the programme. Members of CORAD include CARE, WorldVision, Africare and CRS. There are both agriculture and health components to the DRP which seeksto restore livelihoods and food security for vulnerable rural households by improving their health statusand encouraging the re-establishment of productive agricultural activities and targeting extremelyvulnerable and food insecure groups such as women-headed households, mothers and children inselected chiefdoms in the Koinadugu and Kailahun districts. Associated with CORAD also is the

USAID and UNDP funded Promoting Linkages for Livelihood Security and Economic Development(LINKS). The LINKS project is broadening the range and increasing the productivity of livelihoodactivities at community level and linking these into regional and national markets. LINKS incollaboration with the Talking Drum Studio produces a newsletter that publishes information about theactivities carried out by CORAD with substantial market survey information including prices of selectedproducts.

60.The gap that the LINK survey is covering is chiefdom level information which is normally not coveredby surveys carried out by newspapers and the bank of Sierra Leone. Thus rural information is madeavailable.

61.The Talking Drum Studiosponsored by Canada produces radio programmes depicting rural life and

interventions that are bound to affect rural people. The programmes are in local languages includingCreole and are broadcast on all radio stations in the country. The Talking Drum Studio is a majormedium through which rural people are provided the opportunity to express themselves and also forother compatriots to be aware of the thinking of rural people.

62.The African Development Bank (ADB) is funding the Agricultural Sector Rehabilitation Project (ASRP)with a goal to reduce poverty and enhance food security in the Kambia, Portloko, Moyamba, Pujehunand Kenema Districts while the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is funding theRehabilitation and Community-Based Poverty Reduction Project (RCPRP) in the Kono and Kailahundistricts with a goal of reducing post conflict poverty and food insecurity and improving livelihoods andliving conditions of rural communities in the project areas.

63.Another significant donor intervention that is bound to influence agricultural communication and overalldevelopment in Sierra Leone is the funding of basic education. The World Bank is funding theconstruction of a significant number of both primary and secondary schools country wide. Bearing inmind that the present adult literacy rate in Sierra Leone is 31 %, increased enrolment and retention inschools will in the long-run have a significant impact on the literacy level and influence communicationin the country.

3.2 Institutional Needs Analysis

3.2.1 Information Needs

64.The broad range of information options outlined in the questionnaire guidelines cover the range ofinformation required by the various stakeholders in the Sierra Leone agricultural sector. The studyreveals the various information needs of the categories of institutions and the corresponding needs forcapacity building (cf. Table 2).

65.In general, the research institutions and the university together with the Agricultural Information andCommunication Unit require most of the category of information options. In addition the researchintuitions and the university cited additional technical information. These institutions cater for a widevariety of disciplines in the agricultural sector. At the College of Agriculture, the courses offered


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include: Soil Science, Crop Science, Crop Physiology, Animal Science, Post harvest Physiology, PlantPathology, Entomology, Agricultural Education and Extension, Agricultural Economics, Sociology,Biometrics, Rural Development, Food Science and Nutrition etc. in addition to basic preparatorycourses like Biology, Chemistry and Physics. In effect, all the various categories of information arerequired to varying degrees in the various departments.

66.The level of such information ranges from post-high school, since the university is now catering forstudents that have attempted the general public examination but are having difficulties in passing the

required number of subjects. An access course is offered to prepare such students who then takeregular examinations set by the college. Beyond this level, there are the undergraduate andpostgraduate degrees, including M.Sc. and Ph.D.

67.Even though there are generally a wide variety of books and journals in the basic sciences, there stillremains need for appropriate books that reflect local situations particularly in the applied sciences likeagriculture. There is a need for books addressing local issues and prevailing conditions to make moremeaning to students. It is necessary for students in agriculture, particularly those trained as extensionpersonnel, to be familiar with current and appropriate extension techniques and communication skillsthat will enable them to adequately interact with farmers and pass on the right messages.

68.The Agricultural Information and Communication Unit needs similar information like the research

institutions and the university. The library caters for professionals, consultants and students who aredoing various research projects.

69.The National Association of Farmers of Sierra Leone (NAFSL) also requires a wide range ofinformation on the agricultural sector, though of a less academic nature (the standard might need to bebetter if it is to be absolutely clear and well understood!) compared to the research institutions and theuniversity. The nature of the farming system in Sierra Leone makes it difficult to distinguish clearcategories of needs that do not overlap. Most of the farmers produce at subsistence level with nospecialization. Each farm family tries to produce all their crop requirements, hence the predominantlymixed farming system. On a typical upland rice farm, there is a mixture of up to 15 different cropsincluding the energy supplying crops like the staple food rice and the root and tubers, the proteinsupplying legumes (beans, sesame, etc) and a host of vegetables. In addition to crops, most farmers

will also own chickens and a few goats and sheep. In the case of livestock farmers like the Fulani, theyvery often cultivate crops in addition to the cattle.

70.The mixed farming system therefore explains the desire for a wide range of information covering theentire farming system. This situation is not likely to change in the immediate future. Most farmers willtherefore require specially packaged information targeting the prevailing conditions for exampleimproved rotations systems involving their major crops to address soil fertility concerns that will ensuresustainable yields. Growing legumes which fix nitrogen that is made available to associated highnitrogen demanding crops like maize will help to reduce the dependence on inorganic fertilizer whichare expensive and often unavailable. In general, the farm problems are inter-related requiring practicalsolutions often not found in standard textbooks and other publications.

71.Similarly, CRS indicated a need for all the information options except information related toPATENTING. This is probably because farmers are not very aware of Intellectual Property Rights(IPR). It is very common for farmers to exchange planting materials. Most farmers keep part of theirharvest as seed and therefore do not need to buy seeds. It is, however, expected that as civil societymovements become more active and need to make their presence felt they would take of farmersissues like IPRs. The small percentage of farmers who are literate can barely read and write andtherefore can only effectively use less technical publications. Due attention should be given to thepresentation of information for the understanding of illiterate farmers. The study did not provide for theinterviewing of individual farmers. However, the institutions interviewed with regard to their informationneeds reflect farmers view.


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Table 2. Information Needs of Institutions Interviewed

Category ofInstitution

Institution Information needed

Research andUniversity

Institute of AgriculturalResearch

Farm problems, non farm livelihoods, socialdevelopment issues, gender issues, governmentand international regulations, conferences andmeetings, development and funding programmes,

available agricultural/development networks, postharvest technology, equipment sourcing, wasteutilization, patents, integrated pest management,biotechnology, soil management, credit and microcredit, market date, crop insurance systemsmanagement of information, editing of reports,participative methodologies

Rice Research Station

Njala University

Ministry ofAgriculture andFood Security


Farm problems, non farm livelihoods, socialdevelopment issues, gender issues, governmentand international regulations, conferences andmeetings, trade fairs, development and fundingprogrammes, available agricultural/developmentnetworks,post harvest technology, equipment sourcing,waste utilization, patents, integrated pestmanagement,credit and micro credit, market date, identificationof markets, commodity profiles, crop insurancesystemsphotography and videoing, using charactergeneration and mixing in video productions,management of information, editing of reports,participative methodologies

Private Companies

Cotton tree Enterprises Farm problems, government and internationalregulations, conferences and meetings,development and funding programmespost harvest technology, packaging, equipment

sourcing/ availability, waste utilization, integratedpest managementcredit and micro credit, market data, identificationof markets, commodity profiles, crop insurancesystemmanagement of information within theorganization, editing reports participativemethodologies

Kamchew Enterprises Farm problems, development and fundingprogrammespost harvest technology, crop varieties, integratedpest managementidentification of markets, crop insurance system

management of information within theorganization, participative methodologies


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Institution Information needed

Local NonGovernmentalOrganizations

National Association ofFarmers of Sierra Leone

Farm problems, social development issues,gender issues, government and internationalregulations, conferences and meetings, trade fairs,development and funding programmes, availableagricultural/development networks,grading systems, post harvest technology, cropvarieties, packaging, equipment sourcing,transportation, waste utilization, patents, industrialprofiles, integrated pest management,biotechnology, soil management;credit and micro credit, market date, identificationof markets, commodity profiles, crop insurancesystemsdocumentary production and broadcast,management of information, editing of reports,participative methodologies

Movement for Children andWomen in Need

Social development issues, gender issues,conferences and meetings, development andfunding programmes, availableagricultural/development networks,

post harvest technology, crop varieties, packaging,equipment sourcing, transportation,market date, identification of markets, cropinsurance systems

Livestock Extension andGeneral Services

Farm problems, social development issues,gender issues, conferences and meetings, tradefairs, development and funding programmes,available agricultural/development networks,integrated pest management, equipment sourcing,animal insurance systemsproducing videos for clients, management ofinformation within the organization

MuaWoma Rural Womens

Association

Social development issues, gender issues,

conferences and meetings, development andfunding programmes, availableagricultural/development networks,post harvest technology, crop varieties, packaging,equipment sourcing, transportation,market date, identification of markets, cropinsurance systemsmanagement of information within the organization

International NonGovernmental

Organization

Catholic Relief Services

Farm problems, social development issues,gender issues, government and internationalregulations, conferences and meetings, trade fairs,development and funding programmes, availableagricultural/development networks,

grading systems, post harvest technology, cropvarieties, packaging, equipment sourcing,transportation, waste utilization, patents, industrialprofiles, integrated pest management,;credit and micro credit, market date, identificationof markets, commodity profiles, crop insurancesystemsparticipative methodologies

Format of information:

72.The format of information varied sharply with the category of institutions. The research institutions,University and the Agricultural Information and Communication Unit (AICU) of at the Ministry of


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Agriculture prefer journal articles, briefing summaries and abstracts. Normally, the abstracts are firstconsulted followed by the full papers where there is need. Even before the war, all the institutions hadfound it very difficult to keep abreast with subscriptions to major journals.

73.The AGRIS abstracts are still being received at AICU, while some members of the Institute ofAgricultural Research (IAR) are still receiving the CTAs Selective Dissemination of Information (SDI)abstracts. IAR currently has a subscription to TEEAL. However, journals are only available on TEEALone year after publication. Therefore the advantage of the SDI is that any new publication can be

obtained immediately. The only disadvantage of SDI is that one is restricted as to the number of fullarticles to be requested for free.

74.In addition to the journal articles, briefing summaries and abstracts, AICU requires materials for massdistribution, material in local languages and visual and pictorial information. These are required to passon extension messages to farmers particularly in the rural areas. These formats are also required bythe two research institutions engaged in extension activates in relatively limited areas compared toAICU.

75.The illiterate farmers will not benefit from publication in their own local languages, no matter the level.In this regard, the research institutions in their Participatory Varietal Selection with farmers are usingappropriate signs and symbols to depict basic facts which can be understood by farmers. As it is now

clear that for now and the immediate future Sierra Leones farming population will be largely illiterate,there is need to improvise using more appropriate symbol communication strategies for farmers.

76.Private enterprises and NGOs require information materials primarily for mass distribution, material inlocal languages and visual and pictorial information. These formats deemed are more appropriatewhen dealing with mostly illiterate people who make up the bulk of the farming population. At themoment, community radios are doing a good job of informing, educating and entertaining farmers andthe general public. The research institutions and NGOs are developing and producing agriculturalprogrammes for the rural audiences. In many instances also, the programme managers at the radiostations recognise the need to develop particular programmes relating to farming, based on theirinteraction with farmers particularly during field days.

3.2.2 Capacity-Building Needs

77.There is substantial need to build appropriate capacity (equipment and manpower) to handleinformation and documentation in order to realise the full potential of the contribution of information toagricultural development in Sierra Leone. A crucial point is the understanding and appreciation of thenature of farmers who are the main targets for agricultural development. There is also a need traintechnicians to be able to interact and pass on appropriate extension messages but it is probably moreimportant for the farmer, as is the ultimate recipient, to be in a position to understand, appreciate, andcontribute towards this development. Planned interventions to build the capacity of change agentsshould be linked to the circumstances and needs of the farmers who are the main actors.

78.It would appear that more effort should be made to base any intended intervention on the capacity of

farmers to respond positively to proposed changes. In effect, any intervention to build capacity shouldconsider farmers needs. The neglect of this fact is a frequent mistake made by many developmentworkers. Perceived interventions should be verified and sanctioned by the beneficiaries to ensureacceptance and sustainability of the intervention. It is for this reason the Rapid Rural Appraisalapproaches are recommended to get an appreciable understanding of the situation and consequentlyincorporate the wishes of recipients. It is therefore necessary for adult education programmes to beimplemented to upgrade the level of farmers so that they can firstly understand what the existingliterature is all about and be able to suggest the nature of interaction with regards to communicationmechanisms.


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79.Among the institutions interviewed, all the research institutions (IAR and RRS), the university (NU) andthe Agricultural Information and Communication Unit (AICU) of the Ministry of Agriculture and FoodSecurity (MAFS) have designated units for documentation and communication. All the local NGOs andthe private enterprises apart from the international NGO CRS, only have administrative documentationfor filing personal data, correspondence and accounting records. There is very little arrangement forEarly Warning Systems to foresee potential threats before their harmful effects are felt. Most of theefforts are responses to events. It is hoped that the current decentralisation process will enable localcouncils to have resources to plan for themselves and implement programmes with the active

consultation and participation of the local people.

80.After war, the need to restore physical assets that have either been destroyed or stolen is unavoidablein order to provide a foundation for sustainable and more rapid development. The need for equipmentwas therefore very prominent in all the institutions interviewed. Interestingly, some of the requestsnever existed before the war, but the usual urgency to catch up after the wanton destruction requiresmore than what existed before the war.

81.IAR, RRS, NU and AICU require substantial upgrading of basic facilities to serve as communicationfacets. These institutions lack sufficient number of basic equipment like computers, printers, cameras,scanners and photocopiers. These institutions first acquired one or two computers in the early nineties.Lack of resources and the effects of the war that started in 1991 stagnated progress in acquiring more

computers and other equipment.

82.The university and research institutions are connected to the Internet at their Freetownoffices/campuses but not at the original headquarters at Rokupr for RRS and Njala for both IAR andthe College of Agriculture. The non availability of Internet at the main headquarters is as a result of alack of land lines in those areas either destroyed during the war or abandoned before the war.However, both locations are covered by at least two mobile networks that do not offer Internet facilities.A private wireless Internet server covers only the capital city Freetown but there are plans to extend itto other parts of the country.

83.None of the institutions have a website except the Njala University with a website hosted in Germany,and CRS which shares the global CRS website. All the institutions expressed the desire to have and

operate their own websites. The National Agricultural Research Coordinating Council that coordinatesthe activities of both IAR and RRS is on the verge of creating a website that will cover both constituentresearch institutions.

84.There is need for audiovisual equipment like character generators, projectors and cinema van for theproduction and projection of documentaries which are required for appropriately demonstrating andpassing on extension messages to the rural population. The war led to the flight of a considerablenumber of professionals out of the country. There is a definite lack of personnel to carry out basicfunctions for the successful production of appropriate documentaries required to broadcast to farmers.Even in cases where there are personnel, the long period of inactivity and the introduction of newequipment, which they are not used to, means they require training to be able to effectively keep upwith modern technology.

85.The local NGOs and the private enterprises have virtually nothing except a computer or two. With theexception of the National Association of Farmers of Sierra Leone (NAFSL) none of the local NGOs andthe private enterprises has Internet connectivity. There is substantial need for basic equipment to havea functional documentation and communication unit. All these institutions need personnel that areversatile in communication and documentation to identify required equipment. Consequently, there isneed to employ and/or train key personnel to handle documentation and communication. Moreimportantly, there is need to get a crop of personnel who can understand farmers and effectivelyinteract with them. In the same vein, farmers need to be upgraded to be able to accommodate newdevelopments. Therefore basic adult education and training in the operation of basic equipment would


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be necessary. A television set provided for a village need not have a specialist to operate it. Suchbasic training will enable farmers to raise their threshold to accommodate new developments.

86.CRS, like most other international NGOs (CARE, World Vision, Action Aid, Oxfam, etc.) operating inSierra Leone, have adequate number of computers and are using Broadband connectivity. However,there remains a gap in the transmission of messages to farmers due to the level of farmers and lack ofdesired commitment and to the lack of an appropriate understanding of communication dynamics toreach farmers.

Table 3. Capacity-building needs of institutions interviewed


Institution Capacity building needs

Research andUniversity

Institute of AgriculturalResearch

Equipment computers, video cameras,scanners, photo copiersWebsiteTraining Document specialist (Librarian), videodocumentary production and editing,

Rice Research Station Equipment computers, video cameras,photocopiers, scannersInternet connection, websiteTraining Document specialist (Librarian), videodocumentary production and editing,

Njala University Equipment photocopiers, scannersInternet connection, websiteTraining video documentary production andediting,

Ministry of Agricultureand Food Security


Equipment computers, televisions, videocameras, character generator, cinema van,photocopiers, scannersInternet connection, websiteTraining Document specialist (Librarian), videodocumentary production and editing,

Private CompaniesCotton tree Enterprises Equipment computers photocopiers, scanners

Internet connection, websiteTraining Document specialist (Librarian), videodocumentary production and editing,

Kamchew Enterprises Equipment computers, photocopiers, scannersInternet connection, websiteTraining Document specialist (Librarian),

Local NonGovernmentalOrganizations

National Association ofFarmers of Sierra Leone

Equipment computers, televisions, videocameras, photocopiers, scannersInternet connection, websiteTraining Document specialist (Librarian), videodocumentary production and editing,

Movement for Children and

Women in Need

Equipment computers, televisions,

photocopiers, scannersInternet connection, websiteTraining Document specialist (Librarian), videodocumentary production and editing,

Livestock Extension andGeneral Services

Equipment computers, televisions, videocameras, photocopiers, scannersInternet connection, websiteTraining Document specialist (Librarian), videodocumentary production and editing,

Documents

Sierra Leone - Assessment of Agricultural Information Needs