Rice production in Sierra Leone, which is the main staple food of the country, is virtually left in the hands of small-scale farmers. Rice is very well established in the agriculture and diets of Sierra Leone. People consume an estimated 530,000 tonnes of rice annually, or more than 200 kg per capita. Rice lands cover some 180,000 ha and annual production is about 200,000 tonnes. This gap in rice production shows that there is a business opportunity for Scopes Rice and Maize Farms to engage in a large-scale rice farming for the foreseeable future.
We were told that since Sierra Leone’s independence, agricultural development policy has been driven on the achievement of rice self-sufficiency among other goals. Key interventions in the sector have included both direct government involvement and indirectly, by the use of the donor-funded integrated agricultural development projects. All these interventions targeted small farmers, who constitute roughly 90% of the farmer population. The performances of all the different interventions were by and large discouraging and throughout the last three decades, the general performance of the agricultural sector has been poor. According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry data, total rice demand in 2018 was 1.6 million tonnes, against local production of 700,000 tonnes.
Many cultures have evidence of early rice cultivation, including China, India, and the civilizations of Southeast Asia. Scopes Rice and Maize Farms will use different types of rice to increase production in large-scale.
In addition to rice production, the company will also engage in fruits and vegetable farming to diversify the agricultural produce portfolio. The land is suitable for the cultivation of a wide range of crops, but this farm’s operations will focus on the two major ones including rice (the country’s staple food) and maize.
Commercial RICE FARMING
There is growing consumer demand, and even expectation, for products that meet a sustainability standard. The Sierra Leone rice production industry does not have a great sustainability story to tell. Over the past 30 years Sierra Leone rice farmers have decreased yields greatly while decreasing usage of land, and without the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The lack of interest in rice farming among farmers is putting a lot of pressure on the economy and drives the price of rice over the roof as the country now mainly depends on importing rice.
To keep the local economy healthy and to compete with imported rice types, the Sierra Leone rice industry relies on the ingenuity of rice farmers to cultivate new domestic strains without GMOs to meet the strong demand for varieties suited to the nation’s popular ethnic cuisines. Scopes Rice and Maize Farms will work with other nations to produce flavourful rice on it farms.
UPLAND RICE
Folks in Sierra Leone love rice! We grow a safe, healthy, affordable crop that is gluten free, without GMOs, in a clean, conservation-rich environment. No matter what the Sierra Leonean consumer is cooking up, I can’t think of a better food they could buy that would check all those boxes than Scopes Rice and Maize Farm.
DEEPWATER RICE
The promotion of domestic rice production is as a result a major component in the strategies for advancing food security, encourage economic growth and boost rural income. Efforts to support rice production programmes is the only answer to lift up the nation out of the deteriorating rice situation and undo the current failing trend in food self-sufficiency.
MAIZE OR CORN
Maize is popularly known as Corn is one of the most versatile emerging cash crops having wider adaptability under varied climate conditions. In Sierra Leone, the maize or corn is grown throughout the year in all provinces of the country for various purposes including fodder for animals, food grain, sweet corn, baby corn, and popcorn. Corn flour is also consumed generally.
HEALTH BENEFITS OF MAIZE OR CORN
Below given are some of the health benefits of maize or corn:
- Corn is good for digestion due to its fiber content
- Corn helps in lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol
- Corn may prevent diabetes and hypertension
- Corn has ani-cancer properties
- Corn helps in improving vision
- Corn is beneficial for the heart
- Corn helps in preventing Alzheimer’s disease
- Corn helps in preventing skin problems
- Corn may combat with hair loss
COMMERCIAL HYBRID VARIETIES OF MAIZE
Hybrid maize development improves farmers’ productivity and helps ensure a reliable, sustainable food supply. White, yellow, and red are the most common cultivated maize types. The white and yellow varieties are preferred by most people depending on the region. Scopes Rice and Maize Farms will concentrate on the yellow and white maize.