RHCI’s Sustainable Agriculture Program is transforming food security by providing rural farmers with the tools and knowledge to grow more food, improve nutrition, and strengthen their communities.
Empowering Communities Through Sustainable Agriculture
Farmer-Based Organizations (FBOs)
RHCI partners with three Farmer-Based Organizations (FBOs) in the remote villages of Tikonko, Julian, and P’akuma. These areas were chosen intentionally due to their extreme rurality, high rates of malnutrition, and lack of access to markets or resources like quality seed and fertilizer.
Training for Success
Beyond providing seeds and fertilizer, RHCI offers targeted training on every stage of the growing process:
- Proper spacing for planting to maximize growth.
- Fertilizer application for optimal soil health.
- Weeding and land care for better crop maintenance.
- Efficient harvest techniques to reduce waste and secure higher yields.
These combined efforts have resulted in a 300% increase in yields compared to traditional local seeds and methods. This is triple the production that farmers were achieving before RHCI’s involvement.
Overcoming Barriers to Inputs:
In these villages, transportation is scarce and prohibitively expensive, making access to farming inputs almost impossible. Additionally, local seeds are of poor quality, resulting in low yields. RHCI, in partnership with Milton Kabbia, an agronomist and breeder with Njala University, provides access to high-quality seeds that have transformed crop production in these communities.
Building Self-Sufficiency
Since beginning this work in 2016, RHCI has seen remarkable progress. Farmers are now saving seeds from their harvests, reducing dependency on external support. This independence, coupled with improved yields, has allowed them to:
- Sell excess crops for additional income.
- Donate surplus back to RHCI to support food programs.
By empowering these farmers with resources, training, and ongoing support, RHCI is helping create sustainable solutions to food insecurity in some of Sierra Leone’s most vulnerable communities.