SIERRA LEONE maq 4ª.indd - agrilife - Europa

3 The Agricultural Sector
52
The use of yield increasing technologies is
scarce. Fertilizer use amounts to 4 kg/ha, which is
very low when compared to wider applications of
9 kg/ha average for Sub-Saharan Africa (NSADP,
2009). Most farmers rely upon the natural fertility
of the soil since fertilizers are usually either
unavailable or unaffordable. In fact, fertilizer
imports are particularly low since the Government
of Sierra Leone moved out of the fertilizer supply
business and demand virtually collapsed. The low
consumption rates in Sierra Leone may have adverse
implications for poverty alleviation and agricultural
productivity in most of the rice ecologies as farmers
have adopted cropping systems based on low input
use along with shortened idle. Aggregate potential
demand for fertilizer is estimated at about 390,000
metric tons. Potential demand based on land use for
rice and other food crops is estimated at 145,000
metric tons of urea and NPK (MAFFS and MFMR
2004).
The use of improved planting materials and
production methods is also low (FAO, 2005),
especially for cocoa and coffee (e.g. low densities,
high age of the orchards, use of old cultivars and
uncertified propagating stocks, lack of maintenance,
inadequate cultivation methods).
As explained in the Agricultural sector
review and agricultural development strategy
Table 9. Yield of Major Crops in Sierra Leone (2008)
(MAFFS, 2004): The majority of farmers rely on
seed from open pollinated varieties that are saved
from previous harvests (the farmer seed system).
Generally, seed is not differentiated from grain
for consumption through formal standards. But
many farmers harvest selected plants (panicle
harvesting) for seed or separate grain to be
used as seed at some point either before or after
harvest. Seed is also sourced through a variety of
other methods including begging, barter, loan or
direct purchase. The quality of the seed acquired
from these variable sources is normally based on
trust or “social norms of reciprocity”.
Most farmers obtain planting materials
for tree crops by saving their own seed and
nursing seedlings in small beds or pots close
to their dwelling houses. For plantations, input
requirements, particularly seedling for tree crops,
have been met using three different approaches:
a) Improved high yielding varieties multiplied
in established nurseries
b) Importation of hybrids and improved cloned
materials, and
c) Multiplication of local materials of
“unselected and unknown parentage”
otherwise known as ‘volunteer seeds’.
Crop Yield (ton/ha)
Cassava (Upland Sole Crop) 6.37
Sweet Potato (Upland Sole Crop) 3.77
Groundnut (Upland Second Crop) 0,68
Maize (Upland Second Crop) 0,84
Cowpea (Upland Sole Crop) 0,49
All Rice Ecologies 1,43
Upland Rice 0,70
Boliland Rice 0,72
VS Rice 1,58
Riverain Rice 1,56
Mangrove Rice
Source: EDS (2009).
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