Saturday 16th November, at DOHAS Hotel in Bo a team of researchers from Njala University presented their final draft report of the National Comprehensive Soil Survey funded by the European Union through the Boosting Agriculture and Food Security (BAFS) project as part of EU’s support to the Agricultural Sector in Sierra Leone.
The research aims at bringing out the characterisation of agro climate regions, agro ecological zones, land use, soil fertility and determination of land sustainability for cropping in Sierra Leone.
The report captures maps of Agro climatic/vegetation regions and rice agro ecological zones, soil fertility management zones, soil types and land suitability for major crops. It also captures land suitability for 19 major crops across each of the 15 districts. This is interesting data that will inform policy making and supports the Big 5 Agenda of President Julius Maada Bio with specific focus on the Feed Salone pillar.
The draft presentation ceremony was witnessed by the National Authorising Office (NAO), European Union (EU), Sierra Leone Agricultural Institute (SLARi) and Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (MAFS). The report is a great achievement and milestone as extensive fieldwork and laboratory analyses have been conducted for over 3 years.
The last time a national comprehensive soil survey was conducted was in 1979 some 44 years ago. Indeed our farmers have not been treated fairly over decades.
At the National Authorising Office (NAO), under the supervision of the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development we continue to facilitate GOSL-EU development cooperation for the benefit of Sierra Leone.
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