Coopi intensifies support to Food Security in Sierra Leone

An Italian International Organization –Cooperation Internazionel (Coopi) has intensified it support to the tieless effort of the government in ensuring food security for the people of Sierra Leone; by distributing agricultural tools and organic fertilizer to subsistence farmers in the Urban West of Freetown.

In addressing the beneficiaries, Mr. Abdul. A.B.Senesie; the Coordinator for the Subsistence Farmers program at Coopi Organization explained the back ground of the project “This project in funded by the European Commission and  implemented by Coopi in collaboration with  the National Association of Farmers in Sierra Leone (NAFSL)”.

Mr. Senesie lamented on the various supports his organization is presently given to farmers in Sierra Leone; especially the West –Urban Subsistence Farmers in Freetown. Mr. Senesie also said that the objective of the day’s activity is to support Subsistence farmers with tools and organic fertilizer that will help the beneficiaries to engage in diversified food production by practicing the new agricultural techniques learnt during workshop sessions that preceded the distribution exercise.

Despite all the previous support from Coopi, the coordinator from Coopi explained that the present exercise is aimed at empowering the various subsistence farmer groups in the Urban West of Freetown with tool and fertilizer.

Mr. Bob Mangu who is the Admin Secretary for the National Association of Farmers in Sierra Leone (NAFSL) was one the observers at the distribution exercise; which took place at the Horticulture Division of the Ministry of Agriculture Forestry and Food Security, at New England in Freetown.

In an exclusive interview with one of the beneficiary group leaders, Madam Nana Samura; who gave the vote of thanks; She appreciated the move made by Coopi to complement government effort in ensuring Food Self Sufficiency for farmers in Sierra Leone .According to Madam Nana Samura, the supply of tool and fertilizer had been a long gone story and she said that it has been over a period of two years without receiving such support from any government institution or Non –Governmental Organization; so she said they are very pleased to receive the tools and fertilizer. She also expressed that a heartfelt thanks to Coopi and the Government; on behave of all the other beneficiaries.

Madam Nana Samura went on to explain that most of group members are widows and their only means of survival is their back yard vegetable garden. She lamented that most of their  children are out of school because they cannot pay school fees out of the subsistence vegetable gardening and she asked that Coopi and the government help them with scholarships for their ; in order to take them out of the circle of poverty . Madam Nana Samura ,who is the chairlady for the New England Vegetable Growers Association and a member of the Urban District Farmer’s Associative Executive, said that one of the major problem facing her group members (especially those who have their vegetable garden down below the Coco-cola Company is the contaminated waste that is constantly been deposited