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In Sierra Leone, the informal seed sector predominates, with a clear majority of farmers saving their own seeds from both local and improved varieties, especially for rice. Local varieties are mostly used for crops other than vegetables.
In the public sector, the Sierra Leone Agricultural Research Institute and the Seed Multiplication Programme (SMP) are key actors. The government’s intention to privatize the SMP has not yet materialized.
Private sector involvement in Sierra Leone is nascent. Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) was the first private sector player, when it supported four pilot seed enterprises from 2011 to 2013. These enterprises have the potential to become more important in the future because of their proximity to farmers and their ability to meet location-specific needs, especially in terms of adapted varieties and reduced transportation costs for seeds. Private enterprises account for more than half of the certified seeds produced in the country. The formal sector focuses mainly on rice seeds because more improved varieties are available than for any other crop.
There are three classes of seeds in Sierra Leone: breeder, foundation and certified. The public sector produces breeder and foundation seeds, whereas the private sector produces certified seeds for commercialization.
Seed-producing cooperatives are officially acknowledged as a vital sub-sector of the formal seed sector in Sierra Leone. In 2018, 20 cooperatives were registered and supervised by the Sierra Leone Seed Certification Agency.
Six index companies operate in Sierra Leone but only in sales. None of them carries out seed production, testing, breeding, processing or extension services in the country.
| Company | Crops in portfolio | Company activities in country | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Companies selected for the Access to Seeds Index |
Field crops |
Vegetables | Breeding location |
Testing location |
Seed production |
Processing location |
Sales | Extension services |
||||||
| Corteva Agriscience | ||||||||||||||
| Bejo | ||||||||||||||
| NAFASO | ||||||||||||||
| Pop Vriend Seeds | ||||||||||||||
| Sakata | ||||||||||||||
| Technisem | ||||||||||||||
Other index companies are also active in the country. However, country-specific information for these companies is not available or was provided under a non-disclosure agreement.
Other companies identified in the regional landscaping study and their activities.
| Company | Crops in portfolio | Company activities in country | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Field crops |
Vegetable crops |
Breeding location |
Seed production |
Sales | ||||
| Debar Group | ||||||||
| Farming First Sierra Leone | ||||||||
| Genesis Farm | ||||||||
| Mountain Lion | ||||||||
| Seed Multiplication Programme (SMP) | ||||||||
| Seed Tech International | ||||||||
Leading seed producing cooperatives highlighted in cooperative study
| Company | Crops in portfolio | Company activities in country | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Field crops |
Vegetable crops |
Testing location |
Seed production |
Sales | ||||
| Feika Women Farmers' Association | ||||||||
| Kamuyu Agribusiness Centre | ||||||||
| Tekelaneh Farmers' Association | ||||||||
