Sierra Leone News: BRAC Holds Inception Workshop on Livestock Project
By Stephen V. Lansana
BRAC Sierra Leone on Thursday October 3, 2019, held a one-day inception workshop on European Union funded project: “Improving Food and Security and Increasing Income for Smallholder farmers (mostly youths and women) through sustainable livestock production in Sierra Leone”, at the British Council auditorium in Freetown.
This livestock project is part of the Boosting Agriculture and Food Security (BAFS) project which is led by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. The workshop brought together representatives from National Authorizing Office (NAO), EU team, Njala University, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF), BRAC International including members of the implementing partner organizations, among others. Njala University and Sierra Leone Agricultural Research Institute (SLARI) are the consulting partners. The project duration is three years (starting from July 2019 to June 2022).
The specific objective of the project is to improve food security and reduce poverty among 4, 140 smallholder livestock farmers [60% women and 25% youth] through fostering diversification of the livestock sector and developing a better functioning livestock value chain in the five districts. To achieve this goal, BRAC has partnered with three national organisations including Partners in Integrated Community Empowerment Programs — Sierra Leone (PICEP-SL); Community Empowerment and Development Agency Sierra Leone (CEDA-SL); and Kambia District Development and Rehabilitation Organisation (KADDRO) from eastern, southern and northern regions of Sierra Leone, respectively.
In his presentation, the Project Manager of BRAC SL, Mohamed Alpha said that the project will include capacity building of farmers to adopt improved livestock production techniques to enhance increased production for both consumption and marketing; improve access to quality inputs that would increase availability of improved breed and enhance private sector interest and investment in livestock; increase farmers access to extension services including veterinary services to promote healthy environment for livestock to thrive, thereby increasing productivity; increase nutrition awareness of communities through consumption of animal protein; enhance capacity of stated and non-state actors in order to increase their involvement and investment in the livestock value chain; establishe linkages between smallholder farmers and market actors to ensure constant demand and supply for livestock products; and increase access to financial services for smallholder farmers in order to enhance their ability to scale up or maintain production.
The Acting Country Representative of BRAC SL, Mr Victor Kamara explained that BRAC International will be responsible to update the funding partner, European Union, while BRAC SL will work on the coordinating component of the project, work with the districts and also lead the other partners in the implementation of the project, adding that the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry is responsible to ensure that all implementing partners of the BAFS project fulfil their commitments made in their various proposals.
In his presentation on EU guideline for visibility, Financial management and reporting, procurement, the Project Manager/ Communication Coordinator, Delegation of the EU Sierra Leone, John Abu Kpawoh cautioned BRAC SL to adhere to the EU guideline for visibility.
Stating the five ‘must’ of EU project communication, Mr Kpawoh said that each EU funded project should use the programme logo and acknowledge EU, make photos and videos, keep evidences, and inform EU about events two weeks in advance, among others.
The Head of Rural Development Governance of the National Authorising Office (NAO), Andrew Tucker assured BRAC SL of their support. “The NAO will give all the necessary support for the implementation of this project,” he said. “We are there to assist you with the implementation of this project. This government and EU will continue to support livestock in other to achieve food security.”
The Director of Agricultural Extension of Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Aiah J. Thorlie thanked EU funding BRAC SL to implement livestock project. He said that livestock sector has been maginalised.
He said that the ministry will like to see a very good collaboration among BRAC SL, SLARI, Njala University and the ministry, adding that these three institutions are key in implementing this project because a programme like this will bring people from poverty.
