Farmers in Bramaia Chiefdom in the northern district of Kambia have appealed for farming tools, agriculture literacy, seedlings,fertilizer to enhance farming in the chiefdom.
Abu Bakar Conteh, the chairman of Bramaia Farmers Association and the Bramaia Agricultural Committee,said they are recording low yield every year as a result of lack of farming education, lack of tools and seedlings.
He said that poor harvests have been impacted negatively on their livelihoods as farmers since agriculture is their only source of income.
He said that they usedto cultivate rice, groundnut, cassava, ginger, pepper etc., but they had limited their farming activities tothe production of rice and groundnut.“We need help from the government, NGOs or anybody. We have lands that are ready for farming, but we don’t have farm tools, and seedlings,” he said.
According to Conteh, the Bramaia Farmers Association and theBramaia Agricultural Committeewere formed to help the chiefdom and complement the efforts of government by ensuring food self-sufficiency and reduce dependency on importationof rice.
He added that recently,a tractor that was sent for Tonko Limba, Bramaia and Khonimakha Chiefdoms to plough some farm did not arrive on time in Bramaia.“We were affected by the late arrival of the tractor in Bramaiabeause farm lands were left unploughed,” he said.
Conteh said that one tractor could not serve the three chiefdoms at the same time.“We are appealing for the provision of one tractor for every chiefdom,” he said.
Fatu Sillah, a member of Bramaia Agricultural Committee, said that lack of farm education has resulted in the over use off farm land.
She added that they always find it very difficult to access fertilizers and seedlings. She said they usually procure a bay of fertilizer for Le600,000.
She said that before this time, they bought a bay of fertilizer at Le250,000.
“Farming is our only survival in Bramaia. We need support,” she concluded.
By Ibrahim S.Bangura