A Food Security Needs Assessment- summarized reported by Georgiana Allie, RHCI’s contracted Agriculture Expert (Junior Faculty Member at Njala University).
“With a focus on health, RHCI also undertakes some agricultural activities with the objective of contributing to household food security by supporting farmers to increase their productivity, which in turns improves food availability and household income. RHCI is currently supporting three Farmer Based Organizations (FBOs) in the Tikonko chiefdom. In addition, the Mbao-mi Maternity Waiting Home has four acres of farming land. One acre is in use for vegetables farming to support feeding program at the Home, with plans to put the remaining three acres to further agricultural use with integrated farming system.
Measures to control or mitigate COVID-19 outbreaks are already affecting global food supply chains. Boarder restrictions and lockdowns are slowing harvests, leaving millions of seasonal workers without livelihood. District lockdown in Sierra Leone is constraining transport of food to the local markets, causing an increase of food prices. Additional constraints from the pandemic include limited access to farm inputs, such as improved planting materials and fertilizer, which are often imported.
As the vast majority of the world’s population purchases food from local markets, food security and nutrition remain highly susceptible. It is estimated that nearly 49 million people will be in extreme poverty as a result of the pandemic. This is the case especially when the pandemic came at a time when the food security issues was already strained.
RHCI is strengthening it’s support in food security and agriculture. The first action point outlined by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), is to “mobilize to save lives and livelihoods, focusing attention where the risk is most acute”. Under this action point, focus is placed on food availability and job security, especial along the food value chain. RHCI, in a bid to contribute to alleviating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on food security, decided to increase its contribution towards agricultural support of Farmer Based Organizations (FBOs). In addition to the support already given to the FBOs towards seed costs, money for assistance with land preparation, and registration costs with the Agricultural Business Center (ABC), the organization wishes to provide further assistance to cushion the shock these farmers and communities could face from mitigation from the pandemic’s impact on food availability in these communities.”
Georgiana evaluating the land of a Farmer Based Organization
This report outlines the needs and focus for RHCI’s Food Security Program, as an addition to the COVID-19 response. RHCI plans to implement trainings by Agriculture Expert, Georgiana Allie, to local farmers to improve yield as they prepare for the hunger season. In addition, preparation for the next growing season on the 3 acres of land adjacent to the Mbao-mi Maternity Waiting Home, are in place for the next growing season. The food grown on this land will go toward feeding the mothers and staff members at the Home.