By: Saidu Jalloh
Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (MAFS), through its Crop Protection Unit, has distributed motorbikes and other operational equipment to crop officers across 15 districts as part of efforts to strengthen plant health surveillance, pest monitoring, and disease management throughout the country.
The distributed items include motorbikes, folding chairs, megaphones, and umbrellas, which are expected to improve field activities and support the revival of Sierra Leone’s national plant health advisory system.
Speaking during the handover ceremony, the Head of the Crop Protection Unit, Mr. Alie H.D. Mansaray, highlighted the importance of protecting plant health and explained that the initiative is part of efforts to revitalize the country’s plant health clinic, which has been inactive for several years.
Mansaray described the plant health clinic as a national advisory platform that allows farmers to bring crops affected by pests or diseases for professional assessment, diagnosis, and guidance on effective treatment and prevention measures. He noted that the clinics are organized periodically in markets and other public areas to make technical support more accessible to farmers.
He further explained that the equipment would be provided to crop officers in districts including Kailahun, Kenema, Bo, Bonthe, Moyamba, Kono, Bombali, Port Loko, Kambia, and the Western Area, among others. The support is aimed at improving field surveillance, strengthening pest detection, and ensuring effective management of plant health threats.
According to Mansaray, the procurement of the equipment was funded by the Government of Sierra Leone through the Ministry of Finance as part of broader efforts to advance the Feed Salone Agenda and increase agricultural productivity.
He encouraged district crop officers who are yet to receive similar support to remain dedicated to their duties, assuring them that the Government, through MAFS, is committed to expanding the initiative to all agricultural districts.
Mansaray added that providing crop officers with the necessary tools and resources will enable them to respond more effectively to farmers’ needs, enhance plant health management, and contribute to sustainable agricultural development across Sierra Leone.