The rationale behind this activity is to restore public economic and agricultural infrastructure damaged or destroyed, and develop new infrastructure that enable farmers and traders to access markets, increase the availability of inputs and services in remote areas. Rehabilitation activities will provide the rural population, especially youth, with employment opportunities and increase their income and therefore, help in the restoration of their livelihood in the local communities. The deplorable condition of feeder roads and trunk roads is a major obstacle to the economic development of the rural areas. Under RCPRP already approximately 300km feeder and trunk roads were rehabilitated by RCPRP within the past 20 months, which has had considerable impact in terms of livelihood, financial and economic in the districts, particularly in Kailahun . Read more >>>

As already implemented through the on-going RCPRP. Targeted farmers will make informed development and investment decisions. The costs for the rehabilitation are approx. 250USD/ha for cocoa and coffee and 450USD/ha for oil palm. These costs would include a package of tools and labour for the rehabilitation, the establishment of village nurseries, seedlings for replanting, in the case of cocoa drying platforms and fermentation boxes, and training for crop production and post-harvest handling and marketing. In case of total replanting of plots and in order to improve farmers’ incomes during the first three to four unproductive years after replanting, the cocoa and coffee would be inter-planted with seasonal crops such as groundnuts, cowpeas and pigeon peas and others. With regard to oil palm, the project would encourage the permanent intercropping with annual crops. In this case a 70-80% increase of cropping intensity is envisaged, in addition to an increased palm oil production. Inter-cropping with leguminous crops would be beneficial to the plantations in terms of biological nitrogen fixation. Read more >>>

Inland valley swamps play a major role in the restoration and increase of agricultural production, through cropping intensification and diversification (rice and vegetables). The Project will focus on the rehabilitation of existing, during the war abandoned and overgrown IVS where technically, socially, economically and environmentally feasible. In 2009, approx. 150ha were successfully rehabilitated and additional 400 ha have rehabilitated in 2010. Based on this experience, the demand and in support of the Government’s Smallholder Commercialisation Programme (Component 2) the target for RCPRP from 2011 to 2015 is the rehabilitation of 3,000ha of IVS. This will significantly support the targets of the Government and boost food security and incomes for approx. 6,250 smallholder farmers. The approach will be the current RCPRP approach that will be improve on management water and maintenance. Read more >>>

Climate change (including climate variability) is having severe detrimental effects on human well-being in Sierra Leone. Changes such as increasing temperatures, altered rainfall regimes, rising sea level and increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events are adversely affecting ecosystem functioning, water resources and food production amongst others. These effects are expected to become more severe in years to come.

In light of the above circumstances, there is an urgent need to address the impact of climate change on vulnerable systems and build capacity to adapt to the negative impacts. This can be done by implementing interventions that could lead to appropriate behavioral changes.Read more >>>

In 2004, the Government of Sierra Leone (GoSL) has adopted decentralisation and local empowerment as a key strategy for consolidating peace and reducing poverty. 19 Local Councils (LCs) (13 District Councils, five Town Councils and one City Council (Freetown) were mapped out. Each District Council is subdivided into 20-34 Wards, each one represented in the DC by one elected Councillor. Ward Development Committees (WDCs) are formed in each ward, and are composed of 10 members elected by community members (five men and five women), the Councillor of the ward and the Paramount Chief. At the same time the traditional system with Chiefdoms continue to play an important role in development. The explicit objectives of decentralisation include empowerment, participation, accountability, effectiveness, efficiency and responsiveness to the needs of the population. Read more >>>