The Sierra Leone Agricultural Research Institute (SLARI), in partnership with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and the Food System Resilience Programme (FSRP – SL), has launched a five-day intensive training for Cassava Foundation Seed Growers at the Taiama Resort on Monday October 6, 2025 . The training, which began on Monday, October 6, 2025, is set to conclude on Saturday with a symbolic seed handover ceremony and a cassava field day.
This capacity-building exercise aims to enhance the skills of cassava foundation seed producers across Sierra Leone, focusing on high-quality seed production techniques. These efforts are intended to boost productivity and ensure the availability of clean planting materials in support of the government’s Feed Salone Initiative. Participants include farmers, research technicians, and private sector stakeholders involved in cassava seed multiplication and distribution.
In his opening remarks, the Deputy Director-General of SLARI, Rev. Dr. Prince E. Norman, emphasized the importance of the training in strengthening Sierra Leone’s cassava value chain. He reaffirmed SLARI’s ongoing commitment to providing scientific and technical support to farmers through the development of improved cassava varieties and sustainable seed systems.
Dr. Thank God, speaking on behalf of IITA, highlighted the strategic role of cassava as a key crop for food security, employment creation, and agro-industrial development in Sierra Leone. He emphasized that empowering foundation seed growers with the necessary knowledge and skills is critical to ensuring that high-quality cassava planting materials reach smallholder farmers across the country.
Mr. Mohamed Sippo, representing the Food System Resilience Programme (FSRP), commended the strong collaboration between SLARI, IITA, and FSRP in advancing agricultural transformation through research, innovation, and capacity building. He noted that the initiative aligns with the government’s broader agricultural transformation agenda under the Feed Salone vision.
In her statement, Dr. Janatu Veronica Sesay, representing the Sierra Leone Seed Certification Agency (SLeSCA), stressed the crucial role of seed certification in ensuring that farmers have access to high-quality planting materials that meet both national and international standards. She reaffirmed SLeSCA’s commitment to working closely with SLARI, IITA, and FSRP to regulate, monitor, and certify cassava foundation seeds, thereby strengthening seed quality assurance and boosting farmer confidence in the cassava value chain.
Over the course of the five-day training, participants will engage in both theoretical and practical sessions covering key topics such as cassava seed production standards, disease management, quality control, post-harvest handling, and field inspection procedures. The training will conclude with a symbolic handover of improved cassava seed varieties and a field demonstration showcasing best practices in cassava cultivation and management.
This event marks another significant milestone in the ongoing collaboration between SLARI, IITA, and FSRP, reinforcing their shared commitment to enhancing Sierra Leone’s food system resilience through innovation, research, and sustainable agricultural development.