SLARI Takes Stock of Onion Value Chain

Picture
 “Onion is not only becoming increasingly important in the diet of Sierra Leoneans but the country is annually using sixty four million United States Dollars to bring this food item into the country, thus also, exporting needed jobs to onion producing countries needed by a huge number of our unemployed compatriots”, Sierra Leone Agricultural Research Institute (SLARI) Acting Director General Dr Matthew L.S. Gboku has told trainees at a three day survey training on onion value chain at its main Tower Hill Conference Hall in Freetown.
The data collected, he further told them, is to help provide accurate and useful information to help SLARI and other development partners in the agriculture sector intervene in the various aspects of onion value onion production, transportation of onion inputs and other related items, marketing and other issues affecting onion consumers.
“The this survey will provide on onion and the development initiatives of partners will no doubt help to remove the several roadblocks on the way to onion productivity and production as well as other aspects of the onion value chain”, Dr. said.
Dr. Gboku explained to the trainees that the survey is a national service and one of the many contributions of SLARI to the realization of the drive of the Bio administration to significantly reduce or even remove the huge and of foreign exchange the country is using to import food items in the country. On this score, he strongly urged the trainees to actively participate in the training.
”Your active participation in the training you are receiving will of course tremendously enhance your understanding of the questions you are going to ask actors in onion value chain and how you are to put them in order for your clients to exactly understand what you mean so that you can get the correct answers to your questions that will give an accurate diagnosis or of the constraints and opportunities of the situation in the country”, Dr. Further explained.
In her contribution, the Leader of the survey Dr. Isata Kamanda appealed to the trainees to work hard to protect the integrity of the survey. “Your actual presence in the field, hard work and honesty to achieve the aim and objectives of this survey will not only boost your standing with SLARI for better future relationship and also the good image and reputation of SLARI as a public institution”, she told the trainees. She also disclosed that the survey will immediately commence after the training and will last for twelve days, adding that the initiative is funded by the Government of Sierra Leone through the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development.

Documents for Download

https:/issuu.com/demoupload/docs/190119143851-7a5e5528d8be41439df9a13bbd0ea530?e=31850438/67190613