SOBBA
The Strategy Organization for Building Business Initiatives in Agriculture- Sierra Leone
A Dedicated Seed and agricultural services company
ANNUAL PRODUCTION REPORT 2015
The most devastating impact of the Ebola Viral Disease (EVD) was felt by the subsistence farmers that we worked with in our 2014/2015 farming year. This year was plagued with chronic problems by many farmers in the country who relied on yields from their farms (less than 1 hectare) for daily food, to pay off debts accumulated during the offseason, to finance their children’s education, health needs, and for other basic daily survival needs. Their inability to harvest and sell their crops through suspension of activities because of the EDV, farmers were unable to pay for land leases and credit for farming inputs. They couldn’t hire labor for next year farming and faced a long and harsh dry season without enough food or finances to last until next season’s harvest.
The Ebola crisis had a tremendous operational and financial impact on SOBBA and its contract farmers. It was forced to abandon not only its 2014 second planting season but also our entire 2015 operations. Approximately 80% of what SOBBA and its contract farmers were able to harvest in 2014 farming year was not sold and thus imposing financial strain on both SOBBA and its contract farmers. Some of the farmers consumed the stock due to lack of income and severe food constraints. After harvest, a little over 30% of the stock deteriorated because of severe storage problems. Many of our distributors were hesitant to take our seed stocks because they were apprehensive that the quality of the seeds were not of the standard that is required and also due to the contacting Ebola.
The EDV lasted longer in our operating region than other parts of the country that we had no option but to suspend our operations. Though we suspended our production activities, we did not hold back on educating our contract farmers in the modern and improved methods of agricultural production. We conducted fifteen one-day planting and production training sessions specially designed for our contract famers at various centres of our operating area. This was highly appreciated by the farmers. We also laid out, cultivated from start to finish 15 demonstration farms that cost us approximately le. Le 1 million each in outside our operating areas.
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As part of our corporate responsibility and in pursuit of our mission, SOBBA financed and conducted in collaboration with Democracy in Sierra Leone (DSL) 5 Ebola prevention sensitization campaigns in our operating areas. The prime objective was to create a greater awareness of the devastating and debilitating effects of Ebola. These sensitization tours benefitted 520 households of approximately 8 people in each household. The tours provided much needed education and awareness on EBOLA disease and prevention to these households. SOBBA provided Bags of rice and Anti-bacterial soaps which were also distributed to some of these households
During the farming season, though the EDV was still ravaging the nation, some of our contract farmers risked their lives and cultivated their farms. We provided them not only seeds and fertilizer but also advice and supervision. Although the activities and training and support were limited by the ongoing EVD scourge, the results were generally impressive. However, the failing economy and the lack of disposable income for our farmers forced majority of the farmers to consume their yields.
Collage of Pictures from some of the Ebola Disease sensitization tours
To combat this dire need for food and lack of income, SOBBA discussed with the farmers to get the root cause for this trend and find possible solutions to alleviate this issue. Providing financial assistance was not a viable option as this would have further increased less farming activities for the farmers. SOBBA arrived at a solution of provided potato cuttings and the implements for farmers to cultivate this tuber in addition to their seed multiplication activities. This action ensured that the farmers were not dissuaded form farming as well as reduced their dependence of their seed yields as primary source of daily food. The potato yields augmented greatly the farmers’ daily food needs and the leaves provided a nutrient rich food options and much needed income for the farmers.
In order to have a greater participation of the villages in and around the areas we operate, SOBBA held village agricultural production meetings convened on our behalf by the village heads. These meetings were convened to educate the village farmer on the advantages of using improved and certified seeds and new production practices that will increase their yields on the one-acre land they cultivate.
In summary, SOBBA’s activities in all aspects were seriously affected by the Ebola Crisis; i.e. Crops were lost, Yields abandoned, training disrupted, finances depleted; and the most unfortunate of all, were some of our farmers and farm hands who succumbed to the disease. Despite this tumultuous year, SOBBA takes pride in knowing that we survived a crisis that crippled the seed multiplication sector, and learning that the following are critical factors to a successful organization and agricultural development
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Building a dedicated and experienced team is key to an organization’s survival
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A comprehensive network of contract farmers, vendors and auxiliary support persons are critical in sustaining a project or team during difficult times
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Adaptation & innovation of technologies and strategies are the major components to becoming an premier agricultural/seed company
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Our financial reserves were a necessary tool in down times and crisis situations
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SOBBA’s initial sustainability financial strategy of not undertaking debt or disbursing shares for sale to interested investors was a self-insolating strategy that would have crippled the company if such debts were called due or debt servicing was needed in such an unprofitable 2 years.