The Sierra Leone Agricultural Research Institute (SLARI) has welcomed back Miss Rebecca Bockarie, a research scientist attached to the Kenema Forestry and Tree Crop Research Centre (KFTCRC), who has returned to Sierra Leone to conduct doctoral research on climate change and rice production.
Bockarie is pursuing a PhD in Agricultural Economics and Environmental Policy at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Nigeria, with scholarship support from the Food Systems Resilience Programme (FSRP) West Africa and the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.
Her doctoral research, titled “Perceived Effects of Climate Change Vulnerability on Production Efficiency among Rice Value Chain Actors in Sierra Leone,” seeks to examine how climate change affects the profitability and production efficiency of farmers and other actors involved in the rice value chain.
Speaking during the opening of a two-day enumerator training at the Rokupr Agricultural Research Centre (RARC) on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, Bockarie said she was determined to complete her PhD and produce research that could help Sierra Leone address challenges associated with climate change.
“My passion is to successfully complete this programme and contribute to knowledge that can help Sierra Leone address some of the challenges posed by climate change,” she said.
The study will use both qualitative and quantitative research methods and involve more than 700 rice value chain actors across Kambia, Bonthe, Kenema, Pujehun, Tonkolili and Bombali districts, covering 20 chiefdoms.
Speaking at the training, Dr. Nabieu Kamara, Rice Breeder at RARC/SLARI, highlighted the centre’s long history, dating back to 1934, and noted the increasing challenges facing rice production, including drought, erratic rainfall and other effects associated with climate change.
Dr. Kemoh Bangura, an Agricultural Engineer and Training Coordinator, urged the enumerators to maintain accuracy and professionalism during data collection, noting that the quality of research depends significantly on the quality of data collected.
The research is expected to provide evidence on the effects of climate change vulnerability on rice production and contribute to discussions on improving the resilience, productivity and sustainability of Sierra Leone’s rice value chain.