Despite the interventions put in place, pest control remains one of the biggest
challenges faced by Sierra Leonean farmers. Birds, insects, rodents, crustaceans and
other organisms can drastically reduce yields. In order to prevent these organisms from
destroying their crops, farmers use pesticides. In addition to pesticides, farmers are also
using fertilizers to improve the fertility of the soils. However, there are reports that these
chemicals are being misused and are having negative impact on the environment and
the health of the farmers in many parts of Sierra Leone especially in rice producing
communities. This project aims to sensitize farmers about the harmful effects of
agrochemicals when not used properly and the need for using pesticides properly.
Farmers would be trained on agrochemicals handling, storage, and the proper use of
personal safety gears. Farmers would be trained on how to identify harmful and
prohibited pesticides and inappropriate fertilizers. Protective gears would be supplied to
farmers and encourage them to pay a cost recovery amount which would be kept in a
locally controlled account for sustainability. The payment should be either in cash or in
kind using their produce after harvest and the amount to be paid would be determined
by them. Authorized pesticides would be supplied to the farmers free of cost in the first
phase of the project immediately after training to discourage the illegal trading of these
chemicals. Subsequent supplies would be paid for at cost recovery prices. Pesticide
use in rice fields and its potential effects on the environment and the health of rice
farmers would be monitored. Field observations would also be done. Soils, rice and
biota samples were from rice fields would be analyzed for residual pesticides. The data
obtained would be analyzed using appropriate statistical tools and findings would be
summarized in a report to be submitted at the end of the project.