SIERRA LEONE maq 4ª.indd - agrilife - Europa

4 EU Support Programmes for Rice and Tree Crop Production (STABEX)
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markets. Five market points are being
constructed in strategic locations where
regular markets are held. So far farmers have
raised their marketable income by 50% as
a result of the project, half of them having
increased their income by at least 10% from
the sale of their marketable rice. Farmer’s
cooperatives were strengthened through
the organisation of 380 farmers groups
under 2 cooperatives: The Bombali District
Women Farmers Cooperative Association
(BODWOFCA) and The Tonkolili Farmers
Multipurpose Cooperative Society (TFMCS).
• As well as provision of farm tools, these
cooperatives have received six relevant
training courses on topics including
leadership skills, handling of post-harvest
machinery,
practices.
and improved agricultural
• More than 500 metric tons of “pa kiamp”
rice seed was supplied to farmers on a
non-profit loan recovery basis. An average
seed recovery rate of 80% from the 2008
seed supply resulted in the availability of
sufficient seed supply for the 2009 season
with cooperative management being charged
with the responsibility of ensuring that a
seed bank for their members is maintained
year after year.
However, one major constraint for the
sustainability of the project is that the project
targeted too few farmers of those in need to be
effective at the district or even the chiefdom
levels.
4.2.2 Cocoa and coffee
The project supported the rehabilitation of
cocoa and coffee plantations, and main results
include the following (Welthungerhilfe, 2007):
• Productive cocoa area increased from 76%
to 82% and productive coffee area increased
from 44% to 82% during the project period.
Almost all targeted households growing
cocoa increased their cocoa production
and more than 80% of those growing coffee
increased their coffee production.
• The project supported improved cocoa
processing via provision of specific training
courses, fermentation baskets and drying
tables.
• Eighteen market stores were built or
renovated within cooperatives operation
areas. Equipment such as moisture meters,
weighing scales and seed test cutters were
provided. The stores are used as buying
centres and means of transportation were
also provided by the project.
• Information on international prices was
made available to cooperatives. In addition,
crop pre-finance was provided to help
cooperatives pay for produce on a cash
payment basis. The project facilitated the
connections between cooperatives, exporters
and buyers. Feeder roads leading to potential
market locations/villages were rehabilitated
by providing basic assorted tools at the
community level to mend and help upgrade
and improve dilapidated parts. 352 farmers of
the Millennium cooperative received organic
certification in October 2009, corresponding
to about 10% of the original targeted group.
In 2008, with the support of the project, the
Millennium cooperative produced some
containers of good quality cocoa/coffee for
which a higher price was paid as compared
to previous years. A workshop was organised
for the three cooperatives on reformation
and revitalisation according to the national
cooperative society act. Training was provided
on the establishment of cooperatives,
management and principles of production,
quality management and marketing. Three
office structures, one for each cooperative,
were built and equipped with office furniture.
The 3 cooperatives have a total of 4955
members of which 25% are female-headed