SOBBA

Monthly Newsletter

“The effect of EBOLA on small holder farmers in Sierra Leone - A farmer’s perspective”

 

Agriculture is the mainstay of the Sierra Leone’s economy, employs about 70 percent of the population and as of 2008, accounts for about 44 percent of the GDP. The mining sector accounts for 2 percent of employment, 18 percent of GDP (ADB joint assistance strategy paper 2009-2012 Pg. 15).  The sector sustains about two-third of the population who are mainly subsistence farmers.  Crop production the main sub-sector, contributes about three-quarters of agricultural value added, with rice (the staple crop) holding the dominant position. Agriculture also accounts for over 90% of the domestic energy for heating and cooking through the supply of fuel wood.

 

This important sector has, however, been declining over the last three decades. Many factors have been contributed to this performance but the most significant is the war that ravaged the economy for 10 years starting in 1990. However, in 2001 after the war, there has been tremendous growth in the economy with GDP rising from 5.4% in 2001 to 7.5% in 2007, and currently stands at 6.5% per annum.  This problem have been compounded by the influx into Sierra Leone by agricultural energy-producing companies (SOCFIN, SILVA, and ADDAX) in this sector growing commodities/crops that are not staple food to most African countries but have huge demand in the developed world. 

 

Newly added to the above listed problems is the current national Ebola epidemic. There are now restrictions on the movement of people (in effect since early June), ban on large gatherings including markets and other public areas,  reduction in most offices operating hours, marked slow-down in commercial activity and increased financial insecurity all in a drive to reduce the spread of the disease. This has had a tremendous operational and financial impact on all economic activities and farmers including SOBBA have experienced the following events detailed below:

 

• Labour costs for harvesting increased by 100%. For many farmers, crops were left on their fields due to the scarcity and cost of hiring labour to harvest their crop.

• The second planting season (Aug – Nov) for almost all farmers has been abandoned.

• Harvest time increased due to the scarcity of labour and enforced restricted curfew hours (6am-6pm). SOBBA harvest was extended by an additional 2 weeks).

• Agricultural resource personnel could not conduct timely and valuable monitoring, provide and extension services guidance to farmers.  

• Farmers and sellers rely heavily (almost 80%) on marketing and promoting yields at LOMOs and local markets called LOMA that are normally held twice a week in their local communities. These markets are currently not being held

• Approximately 80% of farmer’s yields have not being sold and are currently being stored under improper storage conditions. Farmers will face financial loss due to the effects of prolonged storage and spoilage costs.

• Post-harvest farmers meetings and trainings were not held. These meetings and training have served as a very important platform for farmers to share lessons learned, problems encountered, negotiate crop buyback prices, discuss and make the second planting season plans.

• Prices of commodities have soared tremendously, exchange rate against the US $ increased by 20%, imported price of 50lbs bag of  rice has increased by 50%, whilst income has remained at pre-Ebola levels.

 

The most devastating impact is being felt by the subsistence farmers that we work with; who have been plagued with chronic problems facing many farmers in underdeveloped countries. These farmers rely on yields from their farms (less than 1 hectare) for daily food, to pay off debts accumulated during the off-season, to finance their children’s education, health needs, and for other basic daily survival needs. A further extension to their inability to harvest and sell their crops, farmers will not be able to pay for land leases, credit  for farming inputs, hire labor for next year farming and will face a long and harsh dry season without enough food or finances to last until next season’s harvest. The coming year is even grimmer for hundreds of thousands small holder farmers.

A targeted and robust support will be needed to be implemented immediately to save smallholder farmers and agricultural activity (which employs 70% of Sierra Leone’s labour workforce and contributes 66% to the nation’s failing food security) from falling into despair and become discouraged about farming their farms for the 2015 season.