The Freetown Urban and Peri Urban Agriculture Project (FUPA) is currently implementing a pilot project known “value Addition to( UPA) products towards increased marketability”.
The project is directly targeting vegetable farmers in the Levuma Pottoh Beach road and Congo Water Communities in the Freetown municipality, thereby enhancing vegetable production and to add value to it so as to make it marketable using improved production technologies, post-production handling together with efficient management practices.
FUPA has already begun sensitizing and involving the beneficiary communities on the implementation of the project, rehabilitating existing wells so as to retain water for longer period as well as construct new ones using treadle pumps, planting materials ,chemicals and fertilizers. The intervention of the project according to Mr Richard Bockarie of the public relations unit of the Ministry of Agriculture will enable beneficiary farmers to access sustained and enough supply of quality water year round, provide enough planting materials and tools, grow healthy vegetable crops using integrated pest management and improve the shelf life of vegetables produced. The Freetown Urban and Peri Urban Agriculture Project was launched in 2006 at the main conference hall of the ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security. It was an initiative of the international network of resources centres on Urban Agriculture and Food Security (RUAF) represented by the International Water Management Institute.
ADVERTISEMENT