The Agricultural Value Chain Development Project (AVDP) has verified and selected 2,250 new IVS beneficiaries to cultivate 900ha in the South and Eastern Regions of Sierra Leone. The project will use a Community-Based Approach to develop/rehabilitate the IVS. The Community Approach, unlike the use of Service Providers, entails direct engagement between the Project Team and Community people/beneficiaries. With this approach, the project beneficiaries will receive technical knowledge and skills for rice production through the Farmer Field School approach.

IVS Technicians will provide a technical guide for the rehabilitation and development of the IVS, the trained Youth Contractors and beneficiaries will serve as conduits of technology transfer to the beneficiaries and community people. The AVDP Field staff and MAFFS Agricultural Engineers will provide supportive technical supervision, all of these, in a bid to increase IVS rice production and productivity; thereby, complementing the government’s effort in attaining food sufficiency in Sierra Leone.  This new batch of rehabilitation/development of 900Ha is an addition to the current 1200ha the project has been working on for the last two years.