The Advocate for Social Justice and Development Sierra Lone (ASJD-SL), a Non-Governmental Organisation operating in Kono District has boosted agricultural production by reclaiming vast expanse of mined-out lands in two chiefdoms.

The organisation through its “Promoting Land Reclamation and Enhancing Advocacy Skills of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in the Extractive Sector Project” funded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Fund aims to reclaim 14 acres of mined-out land in the Number Nine Community and Yardu village in Tankoro Chiefdom and Gbense Chiefdoms respectively.

The ASJD Project has as its objective to promote Women and youths to be trained and supported with resources such as tools, seeds, seedlings to vegetate rehabilitated areas and in the short-term obtain incomes from those plots while its goal is to enhance environmental management and to ensure the impact of artisanal mining within Kono (koidu) is reduced through awareness, sensitization and compliance with laws and regulations governing the sector.

Speaking to the Executive Director of ASJD-SL, Arthur Kargbo, he explained that the project started in July and would end in october , 2018. “The key components and activities of this project are to raise awareness and enhance advocacy; strenthen land-use management and compliance whiles also providing agriculture training and support amongst oother objectives,” Mr. Kargbo stated.

A total of 200 women/youth farmers, the Executive Director said have acquired training on modern agricultural skills and productivity; farm records, crop management and Climate change. In addition, the project targets 45 CSO’s/CBOs, Mining companies; working with existing District Structures, Service Providers, Institutions and local structures/Chiefdom Development Committees; increasing awareness and continuity for rehabilitation of mined-out pits and ensuring effective collaboration/partnership to uphold the bye-laws on the reclaimation of mined-out pits.

The ASJD Executive Director diclosed that this project has only been implemented in South Africa and Kono District in Sierra Loene as part of the United Nations’ commitment to the global objectives of the SDGs. “In the No.9 Community in Tankoro Chiefdom, we have reclaimed about 8 acres of mined-out pits (80 plots) and about 6 acres (60 plots) in Yardu villages in Gbense Chiefdom. This reclamation exercise undoubtedly adds value to the land for agricultural purposes while promoting social cohesion and economic benefits,” Arthur Kargbo further stated.

He explained that they are providing agricultural inputs to the beneficiaries who then grow rice, vegetables and tree crops on the newly reclaimed land with technical support from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF). “We hire a bulldozer machine to reclaim the mined-out pits; pay for labour; provide agricultural inputs and afterwards, the beneficiaries own the harvest,” ASJD-SL Executive Director explained; adding that Kono District has a huge agricultural potential if more mined-out pits or lands are reclaimed which would significantly divert the attention of the people from mining which he noted is waning, to an assured productive future with agriculture.

The Executive Director admonished the beneficiaries to take ownership and responsibility of the project and hold duty bearers to account inorder to improve on the economic nd social fabric of their communities. “We are appealing and calling on donors, priate sector investors, diamond exporters to take the lead in expanding this project to all six mining chiefdom in Kono district as part of their responsibility to booast agriculture and the economic and social welbeing of the people,” Mr. Kargbo said.

Currently, this novel project has attracted huge appreciation from beneficiaries in the target communities which has seen other communities in the remaining four out of the six mining chiefdoms in the district advocating to be considered.

Kadiatu Jabbie, the Chairlady of Yardu Village who is also a beneficiary of the project said, “this project has significantly improved our livelihoods through the agricultural activities we undertake on the reclaimed lands in our communities. If this project can be extended to include other mining chiefdoms in Kono District, the minds of the youth would be deviated from mining to agriculture whiles it would also enhance the continued involvement of local stakeholders, diamond exporters and further facilitate the collaboration and synergy between non-governmental organisations and Community-Based Organisations (CBOs) and community leaders.”

It is noteworthy to know that Kono District has suffered from prevalence of mined-out pits for over 80 years since diamonds were discovered in the district in 1930 when the National Diamond Mining Company (NDMC) took sole charge of mining operations.

Consequently, the District is in dire need of land reclamation to tremendously improve agricultural activities and the economic wellbeing of the people.