MAFS Strengthens National Plant Health Surveillance With Motorbikes and Field Equipment

(SLENA)-MAFS Crop Protection Unit has supplied motorbikes, collapsible chairs, megaphones, and umbrellas; 15 district crop officers now stand better equipped, nationwide plant health surveillance and farmer advisory outreach set for major improvement.

The initiative seeks to deepen public awareness of plant health and improve support for farmers facing crop disease challenges. Through faster outreach and practical field response, officers will provide timely treatment guidance and help reduce repeat outbreaks.

Head of the Crop Protection Unit, Alie H. D. Mansaray underscored the importance of plant health and announced the revival of the Plant Health Clinic, a national advisory system that had remained inactive for several years. He said the materials had been distributed to crop officers in Kailahun, Kenema, Bo, Bonthe, Moyamba, Kono, Bombali, Port Loko, Kambia, Western Area, and other key farming districts to strengthen accountability and pest surveillance.

He explained that the Plant Health Clinic will hold regular sessions in markets and other public spaces where farmers can bring diseased crops for assessment. Specialists will then offer expert advice on treatment and management, while megaphones will support public education and wider information sharing.

Funding for the initiative comes from the Government of Sierra Leone through the Ministry of Finance in support of the Feed Salone Agenda. Mr. Mansaray urged district crop officers to remain committed and diligent in carrying out their responsibilities, assuring both the Government and MAFS that the intervention is intended to reach farmers nationwide with practical and sustainable plant health solutions.