Overview of Pest Management in Sierra Leone
Agriculture is the mainstay of Sierra Leone’s economy, contributing over 40 per cent to the GDP while providing 60 per cent of rural employment. However, Sierra Leone is a tropical country that experiences consistently warm climatic conditions, leading to frequent pest outbreaks. Compounding this problem is the lack of plant health experts, a national pesticide regulation agency and access to plant health services.
Consequently, farmers rely on the overuse of pesticides following on-farm trial-and-error methods or blanket recommendations from pesticide dealers who have little to no knowledge about the plant protection products they sell. These issues have made pest management a major challenge, leading to over 40 per cent annual yield losses in the country. Sadly, current interventions have not addressed the side effects of pesticides on pest resistance and on human and environmental health.
Our Mobile Plant Health Clinic
We have developed the first private-sector-led plant health clinic that provides tailored, science-based pest management solutions, including pest diagnosis, monitoring, and integrated management recommendations. With effective collaboration with the line ministry, department and agencies, local and international research institutions, our plant health clinic seeks to minimise the indiscriminate use of pesticides, promote biological pest control methods, and enhance sustainable agricultural productivity in Sierra Leone.
Our Plant Health Clinic at Paloko, Waterloo
Our Service
- Surveillance and early warning 6. Soil and plant health assessment
- Pest & disease diagnosis 4. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) advisory
- Crop scouting and monitoring 5. Develop a pesticide use guide
EntoTech Innovations 