Agric Ministry says low disbursements greatly impact their capacity to deliver

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In 2018 the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) was allocated Le 54 billion but only Le 21 billion, or just 39% was disbursed leaving an outstanding balance of Le 33 billion or 61% left. “This low disbursement rate greatly impacts our capacity to deliver on agriculture and forestry activities” said Fatmata Mustapha Permanent Secretary. But in the same year the Ministry generated revenue from the Crops / Phytosanitary division of Le151 million of which Livestock accounts for Le 5.9 million, Forestry Le146 million and a total of Le 302.9 million was generated in 2018. In their analysis of financial performance for the first half 2019 with a budget allocation of Le 101 billion the Ministry has requested to date Le 72 billion but only Le36 billion has been disbursed just 36% and only 50% of requested amount. This leaves an outstanding commitment of Le 36 billion and a balance commitment of Le 29 billion. In 2019 again, revenues generated in first half 2019 for Crops / Phytosanitary is Le 150 million, Livestock Le 5.6 million, Forestry Le 251 million amounting to Le 406.6 million. The Permanent Secretary in presenting their 2020 Budget explained that in 2018 and the first half the following divisions has delivered the following. The Forestry Division has raised 532,000 assorted tree seedlings in all 15 districts and planted 164.2 ha of trees across the country in 2018 and more than 73,000 trees in 2019, including in catchment areas across Freetown.

They also conducted 9 forest supervision patrols across the country and up-scaled community based forest management in Karene, Tonkolili, Kono and Kambia districts In the Crops Division they have been able to develop the following policies: Fertiliser; Fertiliser Regulatory Agency; Fertiliser Regulation; Cashew, Cocoa, Coffee, develop Sierra Leone pest list with studies, monitoring and training for the fight against the Fall Army Worm pest, trainings on good agric. practices and on processing of phytosanitary certificates and conducted DNA sequence training for cassava plant viruses, collected and disposed of obsolete pesticides. The Livestock Division has been able to establish the Veterinary Epidemio-surveillance Unit in the Division, 11,524 small ruminants and 9,100 chickens were vaccinated against pest, Central Veterinary Laboratory at Teko – Makeni rehabilitated and equipped and 2 veterinary ambulances procured to evacuate diseased animals. The Extension Services Division has coached 125 farmers in 25 ABCs on Management and Leadership and trained 181 frontline extension workers on extension methodology, service delivery system, climate-smart agric. practices, fall army worm mitigation.

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