By Sallieu S. Kanu
Moyamba, Sierra Leone (22 February 2025) – The Sierra Leone Seed Certification Agency (SLeSCA) has concluded a three-day training program on rice field inspection protocols and the seed certification process in Moyamba. Held from 20 to 22 February 2025, the training aimed to enhance participants’ understanding of the rice seed certification process and improve the quality of rice seeds distributed to farmers nationwide.
Fifty participants, including field technicians, seed growers, and seed vendors across the country, attended the event. With one field technician assigned to each district in Sierra Leone, SLeSCA is working to create a robust network of qualified personnel capable of ensuring the quality of seeds throughout the nation.
The training, sponsored by Action Against Hunger, focused on equipping participants with critical knowledge and hands-on experience in seed certification. The Executive Director of SLeSCA, Dr. Robert Chakanda, emphasized the importance of quality seeds in the fight against hunger in Sierra Leone. “Every agricultural activity is based on the quality of seeds,” Dr. Chakanda noted, while assuring the agency’s commitment to delivering and ensuring the accessibility of high-quality seeds to farmers.
Participants engaged in both theoretical lessons and practical exercises, covering topics such as the fundamentals of seed certification, seed classes (breeder, foundation, and certified seed), and the legal framework and seed certification procedures. The training manual included inspections of seeds during the vegetative and flowering stages, practical field visits to identify weeds, off-types, pests, and diseases, and techniques for performing pre-harvest inspections and sampling to ensure seeds meet necessary quality standards before harvest.
A special session on digital data collection tools was included, focusing on how participants can submit their field reports online. The training also covered post-harvest processing techniques, including seed threshing, drying, and cleaning.
Dr. Chakanda reaffirmed the significance of such training in strengthening the seed certification system in Sierra Leone and ensuring that farmers receive high-quality seeds for successful crop production. “We are in Moyamba to train all the key players in the seed production chain—seed growers, vendors, and field staff. Our responsibility is to make sure that seeds are of the highest quality, and that starts with effective inspection and certification,” Dr. Chakanda assured.
The event concluded with a certification ceremony where participants received certificates in recognition of their successful completion of the training.