Agriculture in Sierra Leone
Encyclopedia
Agriculture in Sierra Leone is a significant part of the economy of Sierra Leone
with it accounting for 58 percent national Gross Domestic Product
(GDP) in 2007. Two-thirds of the population of Sierra Leone
are involved in subsistence agriculture
. The agricultural sector grew by about 14 percent in 2007, led by crops, and five percent in 2008. Despite this growth the country is a net importer of food, for example in 2004 19,000 t
of rice was imported.
Nowadays, agriculture accounts for more than half Sierra Leone's GDP, 58.5 percent in 2007. It is the largest employer with 80 percent of the population working in the sector and two thirds of the population involved in subsistence agriculture
. In 2007 the sector grew by 14 percent, led by crops and by five percent in 2008. Despite this the country is not self-sufficient in food which is one of the country's biggest imports. Agricultural exports in 2006 accounted for 4 percent of total exports worth more than six million US dollars with cocoa
being the biggest export accounting for more than 5 million US dollars of this.
is the second most important staple crop in Sierra Leone with 85 percent of farmers cultivating rice during the rainy season and an annual consumption of 76 kg per person. In 2004 an area of 2100 km² (810.8 sq mi) was cultivated for rice producing an annual yield of 265,000 t
. Rice is grown in three different ecologies, Mangrove swamp rice, upland rice
and deepwater rice
. With around 200 km² (77.2 sq mi) of land in deepwater rice cultivation Sierra Leone is the main area for tropical deepwater rice.
The second staple food grown across the country is cassava
with an annual yield of 350,000t in 2006. The main areas of production are in the south-west, central and far north. The main problems with cassava
cultivation include disease and pests. Major diseases are the cassava mosaic disease
and cassava bacterial blight, which have the greatest economic impact, cassava brown leaf spot, cassava anthracnose, and white thread fungus.
Other major annual food crops include Sorghum
, Maize
, Millet
, Sweet potato
and Groundnut.
used for its perennial fruit, that can be processed into palm oil
and sap which is turned into Palm wine
. The other main perennial crops are citrus
, sugarcane
, cocoa, coffee
, and coconut
.
Common livestock in Sierra Leone are cattle
, sheep, goat
s, pig
s and poultry
. The civil war
seriously depleted the level of livestock in the country, although numbers have recovered since the end of the war in 2002. Most cattle are of the typanotolerant N'Dama
breed and problem diseases include rinderpest
and contagious bovine pleuropneumonia
. Cattle are found in the north of the country and farming is dominated by the Fula
ethnic group who own the majority of cattle in the country and often manage cattle owned by other groups. Poultry farming consists mainly of chicken
s, with some guinea fowl and Muscovy Duck
s.
Sheep are found across the whole of the country and are of the dwarf Djallonke breed. Goats are of the West African Dwarf
breed. They are found all over the country but 60 percent live in the Northern Province
. The breeds of sheep and goats are hardy, able to survive the rigorous environment and are resistant to the trypanosomiasis disease. The West African Dwarf goats can survive on grazing alone all year, even in the dry season, without the need for additional feed. Diseases that effect the sheep and goats include foot rot
, internal parasites and heartwater.
Economy of Sierra Leone
The economy of Sierra Leone is that of a least developed country with a GDP of approximately 1.9 billion USD in 2009. Since the end of the civil war in 2002 the economy is gradually recovering with a GDP growth rate between 4 and 7%. In 2008 it's GDP in PPP ranked between 147th and 153rd largest...
with it accounting for 58 percent national Gross Domestic Product
Gross domestic product
Gross domestic product refers to the market value of all final goods and services produced within a country in a given period. GDP per capita is often considered an indicator of a country's standard of living....
(GDP) in 2007. Two-thirds of the population of Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
are involved in subsistence agriculture
Subsistence agriculture
Subsistence agriculture is self-sufficiency farming in which the farmers focus on growing enough food to feed their families. The typical subsistence farm has a range of crops and animals needed by the family to eat and clothe themselves during the year. Planting decisions are made with an eye...
. The agricultural sector grew by about 14 percent in 2007, led by crops, and five percent in 2008. Despite this growth the country is a net importer of food, for example in 2004 19,000 t
Tonne
The tonne, known as the metric ton in the US , often put pleonastically as "metric tonne" to avoid confusion with ton, is a metric system unit of mass equal to 1000 kilograms. The tonne is not an International System of Units unit, but is accepted for use with the SI...
of rice was imported.
Economics
Since the early colonial period, the British tried to ‘modernise’ Sierra Leonean agricultural through the promotion of cash crops and mono-cropping. However, these interventions failed, namely due to the British colonial government’s lack of understanding of the local environmental and the applicability of existing agricultural techniques.Nowadays, agriculture accounts for more than half Sierra Leone's GDP, 58.5 percent in 2007. It is the largest employer with 80 percent of the population working in the sector and two thirds of the population involved in subsistence agriculture
Subsistence agriculture
Subsistence agriculture is self-sufficiency farming in which the farmers focus on growing enough food to feed their families. The typical subsistence farm has a range of crops and animals needed by the family to eat and clothe themselves during the year. Planting decisions are made with an eye...
. In 2007 the sector grew by 14 percent, led by crops and by five percent in 2008. Despite this the country is not self-sufficient in food which is one of the country's biggest imports. Agricultural exports in 2006 accounted for 4 percent of total exports worth more than six million US dollars with cocoa
Cocoa
Cocoa bean is the dried and fully fermented fatty seed of Theobroma cacao, from which cocoa solids and cocoa butter are extracted...
being the biggest export accounting for more than 5 million US dollars of this.
Crops
RiceRice
Rice is the seed of the monocot plants Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima . As a cereal grain, it is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's human population, especially in East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and the West Indies...
is the second most important staple crop in Sierra Leone with 85 percent of farmers cultivating rice during the rainy season and an annual consumption of 76 kg per person. In 2004 an area of 2100 km² (810.8 sq mi) was cultivated for rice producing an annual yield of 265,000 t
Tonne
The tonne, known as the metric ton in the US , often put pleonastically as "metric tonne" to avoid confusion with ton, is a metric system unit of mass equal to 1000 kilograms. The tonne is not an International System of Units unit, but is accepted for use with the SI...
. Rice is grown in three different ecologies, Mangrove swamp rice, upland rice
Upland rice
Upland rice is rice grown on dry soil. Most rice is grown in flooded rice paddies.- Introduction :Nearly 100 million people now depend on upland rice as their daily staple food. Almost two-thirds of the upland rice area is in Asia...
and deepwater rice
Deepwater rice
Deepwater rice is a variety of rice grown in flooded conditions with water more than deep for at least a month.More than people in South and Southeast Asia rely on deepwater rice for their sustenance. Rice has adapted to deep water in two ways, known as traditional talls and floating rice...
. With around 200 km² (77.2 sq mi) of land in deepwater rice cultivation Sierra Leone is the main area for tropical deepwater rice.
The second staple food grown across the country is cassava
Cassava
Cassava , also called yuca or manioc, a woody shrub of the Euphorbiaceae native to South America, is extensively cultivated as an annual crop in tropical and subtropical regions for its edible starchy tuberous root, a major source of carbohydrates...
with an annual yield of 350,000t in 2006. The main areas of production are in the south-west, central and far north. The main problems with cassava
Cassava
Cassava , also called yuca or manioc, a woody shrub of the Euphorbiaceae native to South America, is extensively cultivated as an annual crop in tropical and subtropical regions for its edible starchy tuberous root, a major source of carbohydrates...
cultivation include disease and pests. Major diseases are the cassava mosaic disease
African cassava mosaic virus
African cassava mosaic virus is a plant pathogenic virus of the family Geminiviridae that may cause either a mosaic appearance to plant leaves, or chlorosis, a loss of chlorophyll. In Manihot esculenta , a highly valuable African food crop, the virus is the only known plant virus for cassava and...
and cassava bacterial blight, which have the greatest economic impact, cassava brown leaf spot, cassava anthracnose, and white thread fungus.
Other major annual food crops include Sorghum
Sorghum bicolor
Sorghum bicolor, commonly called sorghum and also known as durra or jowari, is a grass species cultivated for its edible grain. Sorghum originated in northern Africa, and is now cultivated widely in tropical and subtropical regions. S. bicolor is typically an annual, but some cultivars are...
, Maize
Maize
Maize known in many English-speaking countries as corn or mielie/mealie, is a grain domesticated by indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica in prehistoric times. The leafy stalk produces ears which contain seeds called kernels. Though technically a grain, maize kernels are used in cooking as a vegetable...
, Millet
Millet
The millets are a group of small-seeded species of cereal crops or grains, widely grown around the world for food and fodder. They do not form a taxonomic group, but rather a functional or agronomic one. Their essential similarities are that they are small-seeded grasses grown in difficult...
, Sweet potato
Sweet potato
The sweet potato is a dicotyledonous plant that belongs to the family Convolvulaceae. Its large, starchy, sweet-tasting, tuberous roots are an important root vegetable. The young leaves and shoots are sometimes eaten as greens. Of the approximately 50 genera and more than 1,000 species of...
and Groundnut.
Tree
The main tree crop is the oil palmOil palm
The oil palms comprise two species of the Arecaceae, or palm family. They are used in commercial agriculture in the production of palm oil. The African Oil Palm Elaeis guineensis is native to West Africa, occurring between Angola and Gambia, while the American Oil Palm Elaeis oleifera is native to...
used for its perennial fruit, that can be processed into palm oil
Palm oil
Palm oil, coconut oil and palm kernel oil are edible plant oils derived from the fruits of palm trees. Palm oil is extracted from the pulp of the fruit of the oil palm Elaeis guineensis; palm kernel oil is derived from the kernel of the oil palm and coconut oil is derived from the kernel of the...
and sap which is turned into Palm wine
Palm wine
Palm wine also called Palm Toddy also called "Kallu" written in Malayalam and கள்ளு in Tamil or simply Toddy is an alcoholic beverage created from the sap of various species of palm tree such as the palmyra, and coconut palms...
. The other main perennial crops are citrus
Citrus
Citrus is a common term and genus of flowering plants in the rue family, Rutaceae. Citrus is believed to have originated in the part of Southeast Asia bordered by Northeastern India, Myanmar and the Yunnan province of China...
, sugarcane
Sugarcane
Sugarcane refers to any of six to 37 species of tall perennial grasses of the genus Saccharum . Native to the warm temperate to tropical regions of South Asia, they have stout, jointed, fibrous stalks that are rich in sugar, and measure two to six metres tall...
, cocoa, coffee
Coffee
Coffee is a brewed beverage with a dark,init brooo acidic flavor prepared from the roasted seeds of the coffee plant, colloquially called coffee beans. The beans are found in coffee cherries, which grow on trees cultivated in over 70 countries, primarily in equatorial Latin America, Southeast Asia,...
, and coconut
Coconut
The coconut palm, Cocos nucifera, is a member of the family Arecaceae . It is the only accepted species in the genus Cocos. The term coconut can refer to the entire coconut palm, the seed, or the fruit, which is not a botanical nut. The spelling cocoanut is an old-fashioned form of the word...
.
Livestock
| Numbers of livestock | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Livestock | 1984 | 2002 | |
| e="border-top:1px solid Limegreen;; font-size:85%; text-align:left"> | |||
| Cattle | 333,181 | 100,000 | 200,000 |
| Sheep | 264,000 | 200,000 | 375,000 |
| Goats | 145,000 | 250,000 | 450,000 |
| Pigs | 20,000 | 35,000 | |
| Chicken | 4,000,000 | 5,200,00 | |
| Domestic Ducks | 300,000 | 500,000 | |
| Domestic Rabbits | 5,000 | 7,000 | |
Common livestock in Sierra Leone are cattle
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
, sheep, goat
Goat
The domestic goat is a subspecies of goat domesticated from the wild goat of southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the Bovidae family and is closely related to the sheep as both are in the goat-antelope subfamily Caprinae. There are over three hundred distinct breeds of...
s, pig
Pig
A pig is any of the animals in the genus Sus, within the Suidae family of even-toed ungulates. Pigs include the domestic pig, its ancestor the wild boar, and several other wild relatives...
s and poultry
Poultry
Poultry are domesticated birds kept by humans for the purpose of producing eggs, meat, and/or feathers. These most typically are members of the superorder Galloanserae , especially the order Galliformes and the family Anatidae , commonly known as "waterfowl"...
. The civil war
Sierra Leone Civil War
The Sierra Leone Civil War began on 23 March 1991 when the Revolutionary United Front , with support from the special forces of Charles Taylor’s National Patriotic Front of Liberia , intervened in Sierra Leone in an attempt to overthrow the Joseph Momoh government...
seriously depleted the level of livestock in the country, although numbers have recovered since the end of the war in 2002. Most cattle are of the typanotolerant N'Dama
N'Dama
N'Dama are a breed of cattle from West Africa, of the Bos taurus-type. Other names for them include Boenca or Boyenca , Fouta Jallon, Fouta Longhorn, Fouta Malinke, Futa, Malinke, Mandingo , N'Dama Petite...
breed and problem diseases include rinderpest
Rinderpest
Rinderpest was an infectious viral disease of cattle, domestic buffalo, and some other species of even-toed ungulates, including buffaloes, large antelopes and deer, giraffes, wildebeests and warthogs. After a global eradication campaign, the last confirmed case of rinderpest was diagnosed in 2001...
and contagious bovine pleuropneumonia
Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia
Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia , is a contagious bacterial disease that afflicts the lungs of cattle, buffalo, zebu, and yaks....
. Cattle are found in the north of the country and farming is dominated by the Fula
Fula people of Sierra Leone
Fula people of Sierra Leone is a major ethnic group in Sierra Leone and a branch of the Fula people of western Africa. The make up about 5% of Sierra Leone's population...
ethnic group who own the majority of cattle in the country and often manage cattle owned by other groups. Poultry farming consists mainly of chicken
Chicken
The chicken is a domesticated fowl, a subspecies of the Red Junglefowl. As one of the most common and widespread domestic animals, and with a population of more than 24 billion in 2003, there are more chickens in the world than any other species of bird...
s, with some guinea fowl and Muscovy Duck
Muscovy Duck
The Muscovy Duck is a large duck which is native to Mexico and Central and South America. A small wild population reaches into the United States in the lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas...
s.
Sheep are found across the whole of the country and are of the dwarf Djallonke breed. Goats are of the West African Dwarf
West African Dwarf
The West African Dwarf goat breed from coastal West and Central Africa is the progenitor of the African Pygmy and Nigerian Dwarf breeds in the United States, and the Dutch Dwarf and Pygmy goat breeds in Great Britain.-Sources:*...
breed. They are found all over the country but 60 percent live in the Northern Province
Northern Province, Sierra Leone
The Northern Province is one of the four provincial divisions of Sierra Leone. It comprises five Districts and covers an area of 35,936 km² and with a population of 1,718,240 . Its administrative and economic center is Makeni...
. The breeds of sheep and goats are hardy, able to survive the rigorous environment and are resistant to the trypanosomiasis disease. The West African Dwarf goats can survive on grazing alone all year, even in the dry season, without the need for additional feed. Diseases that effect the sheep and goats include foot rot
Foot rot
Foot rot, or infectious pododermatitis, is a hoof infection commonly found in sheep, goats, and cattle. As the name suggests, it rots away the foot of the animal, more specifically the area between the two toes of the affected animal. It is extremely painful and contagious. It can be treated with...
, internal parasites and heartwater.