Original Research Article

Viability of Improved Cassava Varieties in Moyamba and Bonthe Districts of Southern Sierra Leone

Emmanuel S. Hinckley¹, Adolphus J. Johnson^2*, Abdul Rahman Conteh¹

¹Sierra Leone Agricultural Research Institute (SLARI)
²Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Sociology, Njala University

*Corresponding Author's Email: ajohnson@njala.edu.sl
Tel.: +23276727989

Received: 13 May 2023  I  Accepted: 18 June 2023  I  Published: 28 June 2023  I  Article ID: MRJASSS23019
Copyright © 2023 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article.
This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0.

Abstract

The study evaluated the viability of improved cassava varieties in Moyamba and Bonthe districts of southern Sierra Leone. Root, tuber and grain legumes are mandated crops of Njala Agricultural Research center (NARC), a constituent of Sierra Leone Agricultural Research Institute (SLARI), charged with the mandate of developing and disseminating improved crop varieties within Sierra Leone.Among them, cassava appears to be prime crop, based on its utility among end-users. Atregular intervals through research,feedback from farmers as to the extent of reachability and level of performance of the crop commodity will to a larger extent shape the researchers focus. To ascertain that, four hundred and fifty (450) cassava growers were selectedbased on population proportion in six chiefdoms in both Moyamba and Bonthe districts of southern Sierra Leone, using purposive and random sampling methods. Data were analyzed quantitatively, using descriptive statistic. Resultsrevealed that there was weak (32.7%) extension contact with farmers. However, information through farmer-to-farmer methodengenders farmers high knowledge and access to technology. It also shows that even though information regarding the other released varieties was scarce, farmers to a larger extent adopted the technology based on trialability and income generated (profit accrued) through sales of its products.

Keywords: End-users, Reachability, Released Varieties, Sierra Leone, SLARI, Trialability