June 3, 2021
By: Ilyasa Baa
Growers of cocoa in six chiefdoms including Lower and Upper Bambara in both Kenema and Kailahun districts have benefited from the good gesture coming from an agricultural company, Capital Limited Sierra Leone.
The beneficiaries, summing up to 6500 farmers are part of the Organic Certification Programme undertaken by the company which has been providing trainings and stipends to motivate the farmers grow more cocoa for export. They have also benefited from two hundred and eighteen thousand high breed seeds of cocoa from Ghana worth over six hundred million Leones.
According to the Internal Control Systems Manager, Abass Kallon only registered farmers are accepted in the system adding that they have been given trainings on pest control and other applicable methods to uphold organic standards. He said they have ensured that farmers get premium of LE 500 per 1 kg of cocoa sold to the company.
The beneficiaries including women have commended the company for supporting them this planting season considering the negative impact of COVID 19 on them as poor farmers.
The whooping amounts slashed on the farmers are funds from the Sierra Leone Agro Business Development Fund (SLADEF) which has interest in providing basic support services for improved productivity in the country.