Multiplication & Dissemination of Planning Materials of Improved Crop Varieties.

Quality seed production: Foundation, Registered and Certified rice seeds have been produced by RRS. Certified seeds are produced at the community level by contract farmers working under supervision of RRS staff. RRS has supplied large quantities (in the order of tons) of certified rice seeds to FAO, NGO’s and farmers organizations since 1996.

New crop multiplication sites: Two major sites have been established by IAR to better enhance multiplication and distribution of improved crop varieties to as many farmers as possible. One is located at Rogbere junction to provide planting materials for the North, South provinces and Western Area and one at Moyamba to cover the maize and cassava belt. In addition a new experimental site has been established at Foya near Njala which provides planting materials.

• Millions of cassava and sweet potato cuttings together with several tons of groundnut and maize have been distributed by IAR in the form of minikits to individual farm families and farmers associations all over the country. In 2004 on one hectare of improved cassava varieties was established in each of the 12 districts and the Western Area in collaboration with the National Association of Sierra Leone Farmers and MAFFS, with funds from IITA. This exercise produced at least 1,300,000 cuttings enough to establish one hectare of cassava in each of the 149 chiefdoms in the country. In 2005, over 50% of the chiefdoms in the Kenema, Moyamba, Kambia, Bombali, Port Loko and Pujehun districts established multiplication plots of at least 1ha of improved cassava varieties.

Root and Tuber Processing Pilot Areas: In 2001, war widows and other residents of Kafu Bullom Chiefdom were supplied with 10 cassava grating machines and associated processing utensils through a NCRRR/IAR sponsored project. In 2003 pilot centers for processing root and tubers were established in 12 chiefdoms all over the country. Funds for this project were from the HIPC initiative. The package included a shed with store together with a grating machine, roasting pan and assorted utensils.