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Sustainable Agriculture in Turkey

Sustainable Agriculture in TurkeyBetween Europe and the Asian continent is the Republic of Turkey, therefore, it is considered an intercontinental country. Two seas surround the territory: the Black Sea in the north and the Mediterranean Sea in the south. Climate varies depending on the part of the territory. Cities near the coast have a Mediterranean climate that is warm, humid and ideal for agricultural purposes. Turkey’s economy grew based on agricultural sector activity. Now, such a sector is not the primary economic source for the country anymore and the need for sustainable agriculture in Turkey arises.

 

Barriers to Sustainable Agriculture in Turkey

Up to 20 percent of the Turkish population still works cultivating the land. Nowadays, up to 50 percent of the land is used for agricultural purposes. Regardless, the government has yet to take a step forward towards sustainable agriculture in Turkey.

Pesticides, fertilizers and soil erosion of the arable land, are the three main issues within the agricultural sector. Extreme drought is a fourth, but lesser issue in the Eurasian country. “Anatolian plateau” is the name given to the central part of the Turkish region that suffers most droughts due to its geographical positioning.

The interior part of the territory suffers from a dryer climate. Such conditions can have a significantly prejudicial impact on the arable land and rural economy in its entirety. This is taking a toll by making it a challenge to keep sustainable agriculture as an ongoing achievable goal.

The following affect sustainable agriculture in Turkey:

  • a rapid population growth
  • a loss of arable land due to extreme droughts
  • and the recurrent use of degraded land.

These augment the pollution levels in the water, the emission of greenhouse gases, and the loss of organic matter within the soil.

 

Recent Increase in Sustainable Agriculture

Even though multiple issues have emerged, sustainable agriculture in Turkey has increased over the past two years. The use of mineral fertilizers and pesticides has gone up, thus helping sustainability within the rural economic sector.

The agricultural sector is now undergoing a series of initiatives that will hopefully further increase sustainable agriculture in Turkey during the next few years. The Turkish government has provided training in order to create awareness on sustainable agriculture as well as spread new rural techniques that can help farmers with productivity. Sustainable agriculture in Turkey has already been improved, and during the next decades will have an even better and bigger impact that will benefit productivity, the soil, and the Turkish population.

– Paula Gibson

Photo: Flickr

Sustainable Agriculture in Tuvalu

sustainable agriculture in Tuvalu

Sustainable agriculture in Tuvalu, a small island developing state (SIDS), requires a cooperative network of individuals that understand and manage an unsure climate and disaster risk. Tuvalu consists of nine islands with its highest point being only a few meters above sea level. This makes for an unfriendly climate and physical environment as well as poor land resources and soil.

Agricultural Challenges

Due to the harsh variation in the climate, Tuvalu faces major setbacks in agricultural development.  This forces the government to rely heavily on imported food, rather than locally produced food, to feed the country. According to the USAID Demographic Health Survey, the lack of sustainable agriculture in Tuvalu in 2007 caused a reported 61.2 percent of children under five years old to become anemic because of insufficient nutrients found in vegetables. This resulted in further issues as inflation hiked to 12 percent in 2008 instilling a reliance on imported food that has threatened the health of the country’s children.

Most of the crops grown in the villages are kept for individual sustenance (the taro, breadfruit, pandanus, pumpkin, etc.) with production being limited and often damaged by animals. Coconut trees remain the country’s largest crop and export, despite the high prices and restricted amount of exports by the government.

Sustainable Solutions

To create a reliable food source, the government turned its focus to home gardening, teaching Tuvalu’s women and children how to produce nutritious foods in their backyards to promote health. According to the 2005-2015 Tuvalu National Strategy for Sustainable Development, there is hope for revamping the country’s agricultural practices that have declined or been forgotten due to increasing urbanization, specifically on the local level within the villages.

Sustainable agriculture in Tuvalu centers on creating a reliable food source that can survive the country’s harsh climate and soil conditions. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) partnered with Tuvalu in 2003 to develop an environmentally secure source of food production. The Secretariat of the Pacific Community’s Centre for Pacific Crops and Trees supplied a banana plant that can resist the climate, the black sigatoka disease along with 20 other diseases that are common among plant crops.

Local farmers have been supplied with these disease-resistant plantlets for crops that could support local and household consumption. Workshops and field demonstrations provided by the FAO to farmers and extension officers have helped boost the success of these crops significantly. They demonstrated two cultivation systems appropriate for the successful production of these crops in Tuvalu’s environment.

The FAO provided further workshops to teach farmers how to protect plants against invasive pests and harmful plant species. Educating farmers on these matters is key to creating sustainable agriculture in Tuvalu. Through continued education and working directly with local farmers, Tuvalu’s economy and agriculture will improve.

– Kayla Rafkin

Photo: Flickr

The Promotion and Increase of Sustainable Agriculture in Kyrgyzstan

Sustainable Agriculture in Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan lies in central Asia with much of its land consisting of rugged and mountainous terrain. The country faces harsh winters and hot, arid summers because of its height above sea level that ranges anywhere from 1,000 meters to 3,000 meters. Kyrgyzstan’s land and climate mean there are very few arable locations suitable for growing and sustaining seasonal crops.

With much of their communities being rural, Kyrgyzstan is reliant on their agricultural products as a source of sustenance and income with around 40 percent of laborers focused in agriculture.

Crops

A variety of crops grown in Kyrgyzstan are best-suited for the land and climate, including wheat, barley, maize, potatoes, vegetables and fruits, while sugar beets, cotton and tobacco are grown for export.

Kyrgyz focus more on keeping pastures and maintaining herds of livestock for food because of the small amount of land for farming. Livestock mainly consists of sheep, goats and yak, but some regions can support cattle, pigs and chickens.

Agricultural Practices

Both the agricultural practices of the Kyrgyz and the increasing amount of agricultural production needed for the population make sustainable agriculture in Kyrgyzstan a growing and serious issue.

Due to how rural much of the country is, farmers tend to only have access to the most basic of tools, and often lack the knowledge of proper farming methods, meaning what little land there is to be farmed is being dramatically degraded. The herding of livestock has had a similar effect on the land in the form of desertification in overused pastures.

Nutritional Deficiencies

The lack of farmable and healthy pasture land is not the only issue regarding sustainable agriculture in Kyrgyzstan. Kyrgyz can only grow hearty, starchy crops to survive the harsh conditions of the country, and as a result, many are affected by nutritional deficiencies; children can have stunted growth because of a lack of essential vitamins and minerals found in fairer weather crops.

Nutritional deficiencies can also be contributed to rural Kyrgyz simply not being able to afford food — many have low salaries compared to the cost of food from Kyrgyzstan and imports to the country.

Foreign Aid

Kyrgyzstan often depends on foreign aid to provide what it cannot due to poverty and the agricultural issues the nation faces. Although this aid does fund some food relief programs to provide for Kyrgyz who need it the most, much of the projects and programs focus on the agriculture itself.

USAID programs in the country tend to focus on both making agricultural practices more sustainable, such as how the land is managed and how produce is stored, and on making the agricultural economy of Kyrgyzstan more viable by aiding in the production of in-demand crops for export.

This, in turn, provides farmers with the money needed to purchase better tools and infrastructure for more sustainable practices.

Sustainable Agriculture in Kyrgyzstan

For the time, sustainable agriculture in Kyrgyzstan is a struggle both economically and environmentally, and lack of proper nutrition has a negative impact on the population.

There is hope on the horizon, though, from a variety of programs funded by foreign aid in an attempt to not only provide Kyrgyz with proper nutrition but also make their agricultural practices so sustainable that they will be able to advance themselves in the future.

– Keegan Struble

Photo: Flickr

Female Farmers Improve Sustainable Agriculture in Montenegro

sustainable agriculture in Montenegro

Montenegro, like many of the Western Balkan countries, relies heavily on agriculture as a source of economic productivity and is eagerly searching for ways to make its agricultural sector more competitive while preparing to contend with the realities of climate change. The U.N. and the World Bank have worked extensively to promote sustainable agriculture in Montenegro. One important component of this work has been a realization of the need to make these efforts explicitly inclusive of female farmers, who are often overlooked.

The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, in particular, has a long history of working to promote competitive, sustainable agriculture in Montenegro that actually improves the circumstances of Montenegrin farmers. In addition to the focus on agriculture, the FAO has also put in place rural development initiatives and helped the Montenegrin government to ensure the sustainable management of the country’s natural resources.

There are some areas where the FAO has been particularly successful. Together with the Montenegrin government, it was able to improve the sustainability and management of the country’s forests, which is important as wood is still a key source of fuel, especially in rural areas. Montenegro has also made strides in recent years in managing its fisheries on the Adriatic coast. The focus now is on bringing Montenegrin agriculture in line with E.U. regulatory standards and ensuring that small farmers can compete on the international market in anticipation of Montenegro eventually entering the European Union.

Rarely, however, do these kinds of initiatives make a point of being inclusive of female farmers. In the Western Balkans, strict gender roles persist and farming is not seen as something that concerns women. But female farmers in Montenegro account for 13 percent of landholders and 65 percent of the agricultural workforce, indicating that perhaps these gender roles are becoming out of date. Female farmers have recently had success securing grants from the World Bank’s MIDAS program, but too often farmers, especially women, are not made aware that these programs exist to help them.

Now, finally, these women are being addressed and reached out to as a real constituency. The Ministry for Agriculture and Rural Development hosted a workshop exclusively for female farmers that allowed them to network and learn about options for assistance that many of the women did not know they had.

Sustainable agriculture in Montenegro, and in the Balkans more broadly, is ultimately going to be about more than eliminating ecologically harmful practices and increasing crop yields in an ecofriendly way. It will also consist of leveling the playing field and improving equity in the industry across all demographics and of producing more and wasting less.

– Michaela Downey

Photo: Flickr

Sustainable Agriculture in the Solomon Islands

sustainable agriculture in the Solomon Islands

Sustainable agriculture in the Solomon Islands is not as big a concern as it is in regions where domestic agriculture is the main source of food and income. The Solomon Islands does have a small agricultural sector, but for the most part, the nation is very dependent on imported food. Some projects in the country have focused on creating more sustainable agricultural practices, but most focus on disaster preparedness.

Help from Multinational Organizations

Since the Solomon Islands is a Pacific Island country, it is very susceptible to natural disasters, particularly with the increased volatility of climate change. These disasters typically threaten food security and make it very difficult to consistently import food into the country. Organizations like the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) have worked with the government of the Solomon Islands to improve disaster preparedness and response. Additionally, the FAO has worked with the Ministry of Health to improve standards of sanitization for imported foods and other food control systems.

The Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation also operates in the Solomon Islands. A major project conducted by the organization was the Sustainable Seaweed Farming project. Seaweed farming is a common practice on the islands, and with increased pollution, it is important that practices for sustainable agriculture in the Solomon Islands are in use. This project helped manage overharvesting and helped reduce damage to the coral reef ecosystems.

Government Policy Focused on Agriculture

The Solomon Islands does have its own ministries and departments that manage agricultural issues on the islands. The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock creates and disseminates policy regarding plans for sustainable rural development, food security and improved livelihoods. These policies are very transparent and easily accessible.

Additionally, these policies are comprehensively broken down into four categories:

  • Farmers/Private Sector/Industry
  • Government and Policymakers
  • Women, Youth and NGOs
  • Development Partners

These categories show a good understanding by the government of who has a stake in the agriculture industry. It shows participation by the government in rural communities, in which almost 80 percent of the population lives. Most of these people additionally rely on agriculture for a portion of their income.

Ultimately, sustainable agriculture in the Solomon Islands is doing quite well, despite it not being a major focus for the island. Through the diligence of the government and projects run by independent organizations the Solomon Islands has implemented green farming and development practices and hopefully will continue to do so in the future.

– Liyanga de Silva
Photo: Flickr

Sustainable Agriculture in St. Vincent and the Grenadines

sustainable agriculture in St. Vincent and the Grenadines
These beautiful rocky islands are home to approximately 109,000 citizens who can benefit from an increase of sustainable agriculture in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, personally and economically. The Grenadine islands consist of Bequia, Mustique, Canouan, Mayreau and Union, which form a chain of landmasses leading to Grenada.

Only a portion of the island’s 150 square miles is being utilized, with a large part dedicated to agriculture (25 percent) while the majority is forest (68 percent). Despite much of the land being used for agriculture, it only makes up about 7 percent of their Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

With most of the population centered around the nation’s capital, Kingstown, much of the agriculture comes from small family farms outside of the capital. But two crops, bananas and arrowroot, in particular, have the potential to change the country’s economic condition and future circumstances for the good.

 

Bananas

Despite the recent threat, plans to encourage the farming of bananas have come in the form of the Banana Accompanying Measures (BAM) for the sustainable agriculture in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

In 2010, BAM was created by the European Union as an initiative to help developing countries export bananas better; of the developing countries, African, Pacific and other Caribbean nations were chosen. Essentially designed to create economic opportunities, competitiveness and diversification of sustainable agriculture in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the initiative involved EC$18 million to install.

BAM is based on minimizing poverty through strategic investing that increases banana production along with other crops, such as root vegetables. So far, the financial packages have established a food science lab at the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Community College and other infrastructural add-ons that aid in banana production, specifically, such as upgrades to packing facilities.

 

Arrowroot

This root vegetable alone has the potential to significantly reduce the poverty of whoever grows it. The sustainable agriculture in St. Vincent and the Grenadines is unique for being one of the only producers of the starchy tuber, producing 95 percent of the world’s arrowroot. Arrowroot flour is used in a variety of Caribbean dishes for its starchy texture and gluten-free characteristics, but these are not the only aspects of the root vegetable that make it profitable.

Once ground into flour, arrowroot can be mixed with chemicals like sodium chloride and citric acid to create a dressing for paper, making it extremely water resistant. Print photographers originally used this kind of paper for its water resistance, but the practice became outdated. Since then, arrowroot has made a revival due to the technology boom and the abundant use of printers. The root vegetable is now crucial in the manufacture of carbon-less paper.

The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Raymond Ryan, said the desire for this form of sustainable agriculture in St. Vincent could get higher with “100,000 pounds of [the] starch per year” acting as the potential. This fact, along with the “growing demand of gluten-free products,” means arrowroot and its starch have a good chance of elevating St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ growing popularity.

 

The Uplifting Effects of Bananas and Arrowroot

Both of these crops have the potential to pull St. Vincent and the Grenadines to the high standards that a global economy demands. However, arrowroot has many profitable niches that bananas have already overblown, indicating that the root vegetable’s potential is arguably greater for the island.

The fact that St. Vincent is the main supplier of arrowroot is an overall positive for the country. Formerly dependent on only bananas, this root offers a second chance at economic growth for sustainable agriculture in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

With this kind of agricultural diversity on the horizon, the Caribbean nation can compete on a global economic scale and turn small rural family farms into big agricultural businesses that financially impact their communities as much as their country.

– Toni Paz

Photo: Pixabay

How Organizations Are Building Sustainable Agriculture in Lesotho

sustainable agriculture in Lesotho

The Kingdom of Lesotho is a mountainous country in sub-Saharan Africa. Only around 10 percent of lands have agricultural potential, but most of them are degraded. Frequent droughts, irregular rainfall, occasional flooding and the severe climate conditions significantly influence the ability to produce sustainable agriculture in Lesotho.

Due to water and soil erosion, overgrazing and severe land degradation, at the end of 2017, Lesotho needed external food assistance. Extreme weather lowered the annual agricultural productivity. Food security has thus become one of the most crucial issues in Lesotho. In recent years, various international institutions, such as the World Bank, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), have been continuously offering help to improve sustainable agriculture in Lesotho.

On Sep. 29, 2017, the World Bank financed Lesotho’s Smallholder Agriculture Development Project with $10 million to develop market output in Lesotho’s agriculture sector. The World Bank and the Global Environment Facility implemented the project in 2011. This project aims to aid smallholder farmers in exploring the agriculture market and boosting productivity.

In an interview with Lesotho Times in October 2017, Mahala Molapo, the Minister of Lesotho Agriculture and Food Security, said Lesotho’s agriculture sector was at a turning point. Molapo said the nation has made a mega-plan, which focuses on the chain process from agricultural input supply to the market. Lesotho would cooperate with different stakeholders to further develop sustainable agriculture in Lesotho.

“The ministry understands that our agricultural sector is vulnerable to the effects of climate change,” Molapo said. “Through our extension services, we will continue working with partners to support climate-smart agriculture.”

In the 1950s, Joseph J. Machobane developed a sustainable agricultural system called the Machobane Farming System (MFS), which is a simple, low-input technique based on an intercropping and localized application of organic manures. In 1991, the FAO incorporated MFS into its two agricultural programs in Lesotho. Under the traditional agricultural system, the general family needs 1.2 hectares to assure food security. Under MFS, however, the average family only needs less than 0.5 hectares to solve food problems.

In December 2004, IFAD implemented the Sustainable Agriculture and Natural Resource Management Program in Lesotho. This program aimed to improve food security and family nutrition, and it has trained farmers in field crop, fodder, pest and disease control and irrigation techniques.

In October 2012, Lesotho suffered a food insecurity crisis, which caused 725,215 people to need food aid. In response to this crisis, the FAO and the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security launched a three-year cycle program named the Emergency and Resilience Program to promote conservation agriculture and ameliorate nutrition in Lesotho. From 2012 to 2014, this program supported more than 18,500 households.

For next steps, the FAO, IFAD and the World Bank will work to continuously strengthen sustainable agriculture in Lesotho, including:

  • Monitoring frameworks for Integrated Water Catchment Initiatives.
  • Applying the mega-plan as a long-term blueprint.
  • Training more farmers conservative agriculture.

Sustainable agriculture in Lesotho can be achieved with the persistent efforts of organizations like these. As Molapo says, “We are at a turning point and I believe with hard work, partnerships, strong systems and innovation, the vision of a food-secure Lesotho is within reach.”

– Judy Lu

Photo: Flickr

Addressing the Lack of Sustainable Agriculture in Togo

sustainable agriculture in TogoTogo is a West African nation on the Gulf of Guinea known for its palm-lined beaches and hilltop villages. With 32 percent of the population living below the poverty line, there have been efforts made toward improving sustainable agriculture in Togo.

Togo’s small sub-Saharan economy is dependent on both commercial and subsistence agriculture, with cocoa, coffee and cotton generating about 40 percent of export earnings. Additional products include beans, cassava, fish, livestock, maize, millet, rice, sorghum and yams. Of the nation’s total land area, 44 percent is used for cultivated crops and two percent for permanent crops like fruit- and nut-bearing trees.

The organization Fly for Life is a nonprofit with the mission to promote sustainable tourism and organic farming by improving the environment, education and incomes of farming communities. Jeremies Pimzi, a social entrepreneur, founded Fly for Life. With help from eco-volunteers, the organization has been able to successfully provide more sustainability in Togo, such as training programs in organic methods, sustainability education and financial management.

Eco-volunteers provide skills and training on increasing sustainable tourism and organic farming. In exchange, the volunteers gain firsthand knowledge about the local customs and culture and develop close relationships with the Togolese. Some of the funding from volunteers has also supported education in the small farming communities of Havu and Soumdina Mountain Village, helping families afford school for their children.

Over 90 percent of the small communities that Fly for Life engages with are dependent on agriculture for their livelihoods. Environmental issues in Togo include deforestation due to slash-and-burn agriculture, the use of wood for fuel and water pollution. The nonprofit aims to transition the nation from unsustainable farming practices to organic methods.

Another key project that addressed sustainable agriculture in Togo was USAID WAFP, or West Africa Fertilizer Program, which occurred from 2012-2017. The project was meant to improve the supply and distribution of appropriate and affordable fertilizers in West Africa. The project broadened its reach to have regional impact across the West Africa sub-region, benefiting 15 ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) countries as well as Mauritania and Chad.

To accomplish its goal, WAFP focused on creating a conducive policy for increased investment in the fertilizer business. It facilitated access to business, investment and financing information that allowed the private sector to deliver quality and affordable fertilizers to farmers.

Because of the work of organizations and the implementation of eco-friendly ideas and practices, there can be better, more sustainable agriculture in Togo.

– Julia Lee

Photo: Flickr

Efforts to Improve Levels of Sustainable Agriculture in Djibouti

sustainable agriculture in Djibouti
Sitting at a major waterway entrance to the gulf-states region, Djibouti is a critical gatekeeper in the international economy. However, despite this status, the country has an extremely low quality of life and agricultural opportunity. Sustainable agriculture in Djibouti is a long-term project, but thankfully one that is making major headway in the region.

There are several projects focused on sustainable agriculture in the area, including projects through the Djibouti Ministry of Agriculture, Water, Fisheries, Livestock and Marine Resources (MAWFLM), the World Bank Group and the African Development Bank Group. These projects are diverse and focus on everything from economic sustainability to increasing clean water supply, and will have both short-term capability and long-term effects on sustainable agriculture in Djibouti.

 

The Djibouti Ministry of Agriculture, Water, Fisheries, Livestock and Marine Resources

Sustainable agriculture in Djibouti is not a quick fix. According to a report from the MAWFLM, currently there is nearly no available land with access to clean water on which to farm. Since the landscape is so dry and barren, the MAWLFM has encouraged farmers to begin digging deeper wells so they can access clean underground reservoirs to irrigate their crops. The MAWFLM, in conjunction with the Japanese government, has been working to determine the most effective source of irrigation in the region.

During their research, MAWFLM discovered that shallow wells are likely going to be the most cost-effective form of irrigation, but that groundwater will be most useful for off-season irrigation. This research is imperative for increasing the number of agricultural products grown in Djibouti, and MAWFLM is continuing research in sustainable and economically efficient forms of water sustainability.

 

The World Bank Group

An integral part of growing a sustainable agriculture market in Djibouti is acquiring the ability to power any machinery needed. For the World Bank Group, electrification of rural areas was a major investment for Djibouti. The group began researching the best way to electrify Djibouti for farmers in 2017, so as a fairly new project, it hasn’t seen many results as of yet.

However, the plan is to invest nearly $23.4 million total in building not only facilities to increase power connectivity but to also teach technicians and electricians how to work with the new technology.

While it is yet to be determined how the World Bank Group’s electrification project will work, it’s a huge step toward modernization in Djibouti.

 

The African Development Bank Group

The African Development Bank Group is one of many groups working to improve infrastructure, but they stand out among the rest because they are based and run out of African nations. The group works to not only improve the quality of infrastructure in African countries, but to also advocate for long-term relief in many different areas of sustainability.

The Bank Group has advocated for Djibouti’s sustainable agriculture progress since 2004, and are continuing to lead in legislative advocacy for climate change and agriculture growth.

There are plenty of groups working to improve sustainable agriculture in Djibouti, and there are also other international organizations working to help provide for the many who are still affected by agriculture infertility in the area. Sustainable agriculture in Djibouti is a long-term project, but it is one that is being thoroughly pursued.

– Molly Atchison

Photo: Flickr

Crucial Developments in Sustainable Agriculture in Sierra Leone

Sustainable Agriculture in Sierra Leone
Agriculture is the economic and cultural mainstay of Sierra Leone — rice and cassava, drought-tolerant crops, are staples in a typical Sierra Leonean diet. Although agriculture is crucial, sustainable agriculture in Sierra Leone is unfortunately inadequate.

USAID expresses agriculture as the “pillar of economic and cultural relevance” in Sierra Leone. About 60 percent of the labor force is based in subsistence farming, a system in which farmers grow enough food to feed their own families. Sustainable agriculture in Sierra Leone is behind due to lack of diversification, labor shortages and soil infertility. Fortunately, investing in sustainable agriculture can be accomplished through integrated agriculture systems.

 

Integrated Agricultural System

The integrated agricultural system, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization, adopts a mixture of diverse crucial crops (from pasture to fish), increases production and improves access to markets. Sustainable agriculture in Sierra Leone will benefit people as diversification of farming and fishing practices will stabilize food security and decrease malnutrition.

 

Diversification of Staple Foods

Rice is an important staple in Sierra Leone meals. To establish sustainable agriculture in Sierra Leone, people need to ease their dependency on rice and alternate it with other crops, such as yams, sweet potatoes and cassava. The reason for this diversification is to decrease food imports in hopes of promoting local and sustainable alternatives. The high consumption of rice is not produced fast enough to meet demand, hence the emphasis of other crops can help reduce malnutrition, boost food security and decrease dependency on neighboring countries for money.

 

Sustainable Agriculture Outcomes

By promoting sustainable agriculture in Sierra Leone, diversifying agriculture and improving infrastructure, food security in the nation will most likely improve. Improving infrastructure in Sierra Leone will also allow rural communities to access urban areas and food security.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) seeks to establish sustainable agriculture in Sierra Leone through responsible development. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Sierra Leone has very high potential in fostering agricultural production that can decrease malnutrition and promote food security. In order for Sierra Leone to achieve such aspirations, both the community and government need to strengthen ties and develop resources and responses to food demands.

 

Sustained Effort

WHO also suggests utilizing the terrain and planting new crops that will provide nutrients for the people, educating communities on practical agricultural knowledge and fostering skills to increase access to markets.

There is much-needed reform and plans to establish sustainable agriculture in Sierra Leone, and the development and implementation of these agendas can bolster the country against poverty and malnutrition. With several organizations, communities and government officials working towards sustainable agriculture, Sierra Leone will most likely witness beneficial (and substantial) progress.

– Jennifer Serrato

Photo: Flickr