By: Saidu Jalloh
Cassava ranks as the second most important staple food after rice for many Sierra Leoneans, making it a critical crop in the country’s pursuit of food security. In light of this, the Sierra Leone Agricultural Research Institute (SLARI), in collaboration with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), recently organized an extensive training session on cassava foundation seed production for farmers from eight districts. The session took place in Taiama, Moyamba District.
The training program covered more than just agronomic practices; participants were also introduced to entrepreneurial and leadership skills aimed at empowering them to view cassava not only as a subsistence crop but also as a potential industrial and commercial venture. According to the organizers, this initiative seeks to transform farmers into agribusiness entrepreneurs focused on sustainable cassava production and processing.
Dr. Jebbeh Samba, the Team Lead of the project, disclosed that a 3.5-hectare cassava plot and a cassava screen house had been established at Njala to serve as a source of planting materials for the training. These materials were later symbolically handed over to the participants at the conclusion of the program.
The symbolic handing-over ceremony of the cassava cuttings to the trained farmers was conducted by renowned cassava breeder Dr. Alfred Dixon. Dr. Dixon, whose name is associated with one of the eight cassava varieties on display, continues to be recognized globally as a leading figure in cassava research and development.
Speaking on behalf of the Director General of SLARI, the Deputy Director-General for Research and Innovation expressed confidence that the training would significantly contribute to the government’s Feed Salone agenda, which prioritizes agricultural transformation and food self-sufficiency across Sierra Leone.