INTEGRATING ADAPTATION INTO AGRICULTURAL PRODUCUCTION AND FOOD SECURITY-USING

CLIMATE INFORMATION AND SERVICES TO PROMOTE SMALL HOLDER AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION AND COMMICIALIZATION IN ACHIEVING FOOD SECURITY

(SL/IFAD-SHCP-002)

ONE OF THE NAPAS DEVELOPED IN OUR FIRSTNATIONAL COMMUNICATION

Order of presentation

1. Rational2. Aims and Objectives of the Project 3. Expected Outcomes4. Activities of the Project5. Implementation strategy6. Stakeholders and Linkages7. Achievements8. Challenges9. Way Forward

Rational

• To in cooperate innovative agricultural production that is adaptable to the climate conditions of the country which will promote the food security drive of the ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security (MAFFS)

THE AIM OF THE PROJECT

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CAPACITY BUILDINGCAPACITY BUILDING

Climate change related risks education

Planning and guidelines for adaptation

Risk-based adaptation into Food

production

Agricultural production that incorporates crops Resilient to Climate Change

Agricultural production that incorporates crops Resilient to Climate Change

ASSESS to resourcesASSESS to resources DEVELOPMENT capacity DEVELOPMENT capacity Synergy among Agri. Players

Synergy among Agri. Players

Objective

• To use climate information in food production that is adaptable to the ensuring climatic conditions of Sierra Leone (Weather and Climate Data, information and services)

• To increase food production through the use of innovative and modern techniques (Low land rice production, multiple crop production, use of irrigation techniques, etc)

Objective Continued• To commercialized agriculture so that more

people will be encouraged to be engaged in Agricultural Activities (Production, Processing and marketing

• To create employment for the youths• To use Agriculture as the driving force for

National Development• To build the capacity of the respective stake

holders for the achievement of these objectives

Expected Outcomes

• The farmer will able to use Climate information and services in their agricultural activities from planting to the marketing phases.

• The farmers will realize increase in return on production when compared to his former practice

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Figure 6: Average Monthly Evaporation in Sierra Leone for the period 1961 to 2010

The IB1 Scenario

Figure 9: Projected Mean Monthly Rainfall of Sierra Leone at 2125

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Expected Outcomes continued

• Farming activities will be seen by the people as one easy a way of alleviating their porverty

• Some 50,000 youth will embrace agriculture as an alternative way of life and self employment that brings wealth.

Expected Outcomes Continued

• Agriculture will contribute the grater part of the Gross National Product of the country

• The capacity of line- ministries and stakeholders will be enhanced for the expected service delivery

Activities

• The establishment of six (6) Automatic weather Stations (AWSs), Twenty (20) rainfall stations and training of fifteen meteorological personnel together with necessary logistics

• The establishment of 24 community banks throughout the country so that farmers can have easy access to credit facilities

• Identification and Training of project beneficiaries about processes involved in the project.

Activities Continued

• Using irrigation method to bring water to dry bole land and to also reduce water from the water logged swamps for productive low land agricultural activities

• Making use of the Agricultural Business centre constructed in every sectional headquarters in each chiefdom (159-12) to process and market these agricultural products

Activities Continued

• The Meteorological Department providing the necessary weather/climate forecast and services for use by the farmers.

• Working with the International fund for agricultural Transformation (IFAT) in the marketing of their products

Implementation

• The MET Dept training the newly recruited MET Personnel early enough to be able use the knowledge gained in the project.

• The meteorological stations established as in the Project document

• Farmer based groups, individuals, organization identified, trained and in cooperated.

• The Upgrading of the swamps on the “Food for Work” Basis.

Explaining the IFAD Project on Climate Change Adaptation to

Kailahun Town youths

Sea Level Rise does not spare buildings

Sea Level Rise is seen here affecting the little stream which in turn is destroying the wall fence of this Hotel that was under construction. It has been abandoned since.

One of the areas where the sea level rise is destroying both the environment and property. See at way the people have resulted to constructing structures at the far side

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•Soils lose their nutrients making farming inefficient, more sand absorb heat from the air and eventually scotching the crops.

Flooding is a major challenge to Farmers at Rokupr.

Implementation continued

• Provision of the required weather/climate information and services for the Agricultural sector using station data, the AMSED and PUMA Satellite products and information together with the sub-regional forecast information of ACMAD’s PRESAO forecast

• Provision of Credit facilities to organized groups, (loan guaranteed by the community), individuals or institutions for higher engagement in Agriculture

Implementation continued

• The rental of tractors and other farming inputs for crop production

• Working with the Agricultural Extension Workers and other stakeholders for profitable agricultural activities

• The Farming activity to include food diversification

Stakeholders- 1: Governance

• The Project is implemented by IFAD under a Project Coordinator. It is however supervised by the MAFFS

• Its planning activities is endorsed by a project steering committee. Here most stakeholder are represented from the Farmer’s federation, MET, SL Road Authority, Ministry of Trade and Industry, MAFFS, etc.

Stakeholders-2:Institutions • MAFFS• MET DEPT• Local Authorities for provision of their land to the

youths of their areas for loan guarantee. • Farmer’ Federation • Ministry of Works and Public Works• Ministry of Trade and Industry• NGO- WFP, FAO, CBOs

Stakeholders/Linkages- 3: Other programmes

• The Early Warning System (EWS) if FAO/MAFFS/CLISS/FEZNET etc

• The Special grant Project (SGP) of Agriculture• IFAT• EWS on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR)• The Protected Area Resilient to Climate

Change in West Africa

Stakeholders-3: Institutions contd

• FAO/MAFFS Right to food Project• Water resource Assessment and Management

Project• Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) project• Trader’s Union• SL Motor Driver’s Union• SL Road Transport corporation

Achievements

• More that 5000,000 Hectares of swamp rehabilated

• Drastical increase in rice and other food production in the country

• Community banks responding to the farming's need

Achievements Continued

• MET Dept now Providing specific tailor-made product for Agriculture

• Much improvement done in food production• Agriculture is getting attractive and

competitive

Challenges

• The is still need for establishment of more rainfall stations to cover the whole country

• The lack of towns and villages in some areas where the land is needs to be address by Government

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Challenges continued

• Some farming places still do not have proper road system

• The cultural love for upland rice than swamp rice

• Lavish feeding occasion during time of harvest• Low price for some farm product

Challenges continued

• The programme limited to food crops• The lack of proper packaging facilities for

some crops

The Way forward

• The construction of more durable feeder roads

• The reduction of food wastage during the dry season

• Government to consider the introduction of Subsidies as in the developed world to make up for price variation

The Way forward continued

• The inclusion of Cash Crops and other economic agriculture into this process

• Extending this system to other sectors of the economy such as mining

I thank you for your attention

• Alpha Bockari• Ag. Director • Meteorological Department• Sierra Leone