Food Security.

We took a short drive to Malaforia, a village about 3 or 4 kilometers north of Kabala.  The road was horrendous - Ella even covered her eyes at one point - about as bad as some of the decommissioned logging roads near Terrace.  Daniel K. Koroma, director of CES (Christian Extension Services), had some bananas given to him, which he wanted to pass along to us.  The chief of Malaforia, wielding a machete, made quick work of the string of bananas, which is now hanging in our house (in a big long string, so as to slow the ripening and give us plenty-plenty bananas for a while).

With the Chief of Malaforia, a villager and Daniel K. Koroma.

Maria with the top part of the bananas, which broke off from the rest.

Food security (bananas and otherwise) is a real, pressing issue in the Koinadugu district of Sierra Leone.  CRWRC has been working in various areas to promote sustainable agriculture.  One innovative approach has been their introduction of oxen to plow fields.  As strange as it may sound to our ears, having beasts of burden pull a plow is a pretty  novel concept here.

Daniel K. Koroma, our banana source and, more importantly, head of CES (Christian Extension Services) reports:

CES participated in all NGOs showcase in food security late November at Kabala Community Centre and it may interest you to know that CES got the highest recognition by other NGOs and the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.


Mongo Bendugu oxen farmers in action.

We displayed pictures of our oxen, ploughs and grain stores with our farmers in the farms. We were invited to the Koinadugu Agro Cultural Show held at Kabala from Thursday 1st December to Saturday 3rd December 2011. 

Training of oxen in Karawani.

It may also interest you to know we were recognized and awarded a certificate of merit as the only NGO recognized on work oxen and seed bank projects in the Koinadugu District.



Oxen farmers with a bumper harvest in Mongo Bendugu.

Here is a scanned copy of the certificate. We know this award is because of your support to the Agricultural Program.

Thanks, Daniel and CES Team.