A Study on Rice Production in Sierra Leone: Investigating Constraints
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Date
2002-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Rice is the staple food of Sierra Leone with no close substitute. The crop accounts for the largest share
of the agricultural GDP of the country. However, its production has been declining over the past two
decades. Sierra Leone was once an exporter of rice until 1953; thereafter importation assumed the
main source of supplying the grain for domestic consumption as production could no longer meet
local demand. Decline in the domestic production of the crop has had severed sosio-economic
implications ranging from hiking consumer prices to balance of payment problems and debt burden.
The country is reported with huge potential for increased agricultural productivity but the situation
has rather been let to degenerate to a state where she has to depend on international market and aid
for the supply of her staple food. The objective of this study is therefore to investigate the constraints
underlying the decline in the crop’s production in Sierra Leone. The trends behind the decline are
explored with the aim of explaining the factors that emerge therein. The tools employed for analyzing
the problem involved a thorough descriptive statistical analysis, coefficients of protection analysis
(using nominal protection coefficient), and a supply response analysis using a time series regression
framework (for the period 1964-1998) within the context of the Nerlovian supply response approach.
Major constraints found negatively impacting on output of the grain are such as price disincentives to
farmers (though with low response); the coefficient of public investment is negative, suggesting inter
alia that concentration of public expenditure on providing social infrastructure that are limited to
urban areas serves to attract rural labour; there is problem of disproportionate attention on
traditional upland farming system which is less productive compared to lowlands; the macroeconomic
environment has not been conducive; market institutions were weak (a problem that is aggravated by
infrastructural bottlenecks); modern farming implements and fertilizers were in low use; rice
technological approach did not seem to be appropriate; these are some of the constraints highlighted
among the lot in this study. Recommendations are made toward the findings.
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Rice Production in Sierra Leone