ONGOING

BONTHE ISLAND FISH TRADING PROJECT

This project aims to promote and improve access to finance and fishing equipment. This will enable those affected to generate more income in the long term and thus transform their livelihoods. This will be achieved through access to improved fishing equipment, appropriate fishing and processing machinery, access to finance and gender education; capacity building of women's groups and training for fishermen and fisherwomen in improved techniques, especially in the use of sustainable fishing and adaptation techniques and technologies, business and marketing practices and skills.

Project Fact Sheet
Donor:

Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development through TERRA TECH, Förderprojekte e.V.

Project Implementing Partner:

SEND SIERRA LEONE

Project Location:

BONTHE DISTRICT

Duration:

September 2021 - April 2024

Project Budget:

Euros 729,690.21

Project Thematic Areas:

Livelihood and Nutrition Security, Access to Finance and Market Opportunities,Improved Gender Relations

Contact details and contact

Joseph Ayamga,

Country Director

SEND Sierra Leone

ayamga@sendseirraleone.com

+23 278 206 853

PROJECT BACKGROUND

Sierra Leone is relatively small country along the western tip of Sub-Saharan Africa. According to a World Bank Report published in 2019, about 58% of its 7+ million people live in rural areas. The small nation is described as a low-income country, according to the Sierra Leone Integrated Household Survey of 2018, over 50% of the population lives in poverty and 70% of households live on less than 2 USD a day. With a life expectancy of 54 years, it comes as no shock that the nation grapples with issues of food insecurity.

The 2015 Comprehensive Food Security and Vulnerability Analysis (CFSVA) report released statistics on food security and vulnerability in Sierra Leone. It found that food insecurity is widespread across Sierra Leone, but much higher in rural areas and amongst women. In 110 chiefdoms, food insecurity is over 50%. This directly translates into malnutrition. According to the Sierra Leone National Nutrition Survey (SLNNS) of 2017, malnutrition occurs in 31.3% of children between 6 and 59 months. 21.3% of children are mildly malnourished and 10% severely malnourished. The report also showed that 8.1% of women are underweight and the capacity of households to respond well to climatic and socio-economic extremes is low.

According to the 2015 CFSVA report, there were three main factors contributing to food insecurity. Firstly, low agricultural productivity. This is due to the use of traditional and environmentally harmful farming methods. Next, poor infrastructure. Coupled with low agricultural productivity, poor infrastructural facilities such as roads and storage units make it difficult to move and preserve products. Lastly, a series of economic misfortunes cripple food security. Starting with financial crisis and the Ebola outbreak of 2014, and the recent COVID 19 pandemic have all had adverse effects on the economy and its people. 45% of those in work have earned lower wages than before the Corona crisis, and 60% of respondents say they have had to dip into their savings to pay for food since February 2020. More than 40% of respondents say they have had to limit portion sizes at meals or reduce the number of meals they eat.

According to the Fisheries Committee for West-Central Africa, seafood is crucial for economic activity, as well as food security in Sierra Leone. The fisheries sector is one of the main contributors to the national economy and accounts for about 12% of GDP. However, the nation underproduces seafood even in fishing districts like Bonthe District.

The Sherbro Island of Bonthe District is located in the Southern Province of Sierra Leone. It is about 187 miles southeast of Freetown. The island consists of about 240 small villages, some of which are located on offshore even smaller islands. Due to its topography, it is virtually cut off from the mainland. As such, they face extremities of the aforementioned factors contributing to food insecurity and low fishing productivity

There is only one commercial bank on the island, and there is not a single financial services institution in the chiefdoms of Sittia and Dema. Additionally, SEND and WORLD VISION International are the only NGOs that provide some financial services to the people. As a result of little access to credit institutions, the fisherfolk lack proper materials for fishing, storage and transportation. This adversely affects them as they are unable to full maximize their potential fishing capacity, leading to low catch rates. Due to their lack of storage facilities, they are forced to sell at extremely prices to international and local buyers. This then creates a vicious cycle of low income, leading to food insecurity and other socio-economic issues.

PROJECT SOLUTION

This project aims to promote and improve access to finance and fishing equipment. This will enable those affected to generate more income in the long term and thus transform their livelihood.

THE PROJECT HAS OUTPUTS THAT ARE ESPOUSED FOR SUCCESS:

  • Access to mechanized fishing, processing and storage equipment.
  • Training on the management of fishing enterprises in order to create improved and sustainable fishing enterprises.
  • Creation of new income generation streams through financial services such as VSLA and micro grant groups. Thus, the income situation and flexibility of the households working in the fish farming sector is improved.
  • Transformation of gender-specific, cultural and traditional behavioral patterns in the households of the fishermen thereby promoting local women's development and sustainable behavioral change in the Bonthe District.
  • KEY ACTIVITIES

    Preparatory Measures-base-line assessment

    Project Launch Implementation & Monitoring Evaluation Of Impact

    Formation, networking and strengthening of network groups: training of 50 men, women and disabled groups on VSLA and providing logistical support. Providing microgrants to support business development through the VSLA in across the fisheries value chain.

    Provision of a solar powered cold storage facility by project communities:

    Dialogue meetings between boat associations and citizens to facilitate the transport of business activities

    Entrepreneurship and business mangement training for VSLA groups which would utilize the CEFE approach:.

    Support fishermen, fishmongers and traders to develop transformative gender action plans

    PROJECT LOCATION

    BONTHE DISTRICT
    COMMUNITY
    30 communities

    TARGET BENEFICIARIES

    #
    DESCRIPTION
    TARGET

    01

    Men

    8,920

    02

    Women

    7,703

    03

    Persons with Disability

    744

    04

    Communities

    30

    05

    Households

    600

    ABOUT
    SEND SIERRA LEONE

    SEND Sierra Leone is non-governmental organization registered with the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development of the Republic of Sierra Leone with a vision to contribute to a Sierra Leone where people’s rights and well- being are guaranteed. SEND Sierra Leone is part of a West African structure with a headquarters in Ghana and offices in Liberia and Sierra Leone where approaches and experiences are shared. SEND Sierra Leone is an independent structure, a local NGO registered in Sierra Leone with a local Board, which has its own project portfolio and budget separate from Ghana.

    SEND’s portfolio includes community development, WaSH, health, nutrition/agriculture and women’s empowerment. Intervention areas are in the districts of Kailahun, Kenema, Kono, Western Areas Urban, and Rural districts and more recently, the district of Bonthe.

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