Livestock Sector Performance in Sierra Leone: Constraints and Growth Potential Under the Annual Agricultural Report 2023/24


Authors : Edward Yomba

Volume/Issue : Volume 10 - 2025, Issue 10 - October


Google Scholar : https://tinyurl.com/43r2yw93

Scribd : https://tinyurl.com/37yed52t

DOI : https://doi.org/10.38124/ijisrt/25oct012

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Abstract : The 2024 Sierra Leone Annual Agricultural Survey (SLAAS) provides a comprehensive overview of livestock production across the country’s five administrative regions. Goats dominate holdings (53.2%), followed closely by poultry (55%), while sheep and cattle are less prevalent. Cattle are concentrated in the North-Western region, and pigs remain marginal. Constraints affecting productivity include inadequate veterinary services, dependence on traditional medicines, limited adoption of artificial insemination, and recurrent disease outbreaks. Despite these challenges, programs such as the Feed Salone Strategy (2023–2028) and the National Sustainable Agriculture Development Plan (NSADP) present opportunities for growth by promoting improved breeding, climate-smart practices, and enhanced market linkages (Stats SL/MAFS, 2024).

Keywords : Livestock Production, Veterinary Services, Feed Availability, Constraints.

References :

  1. African Development Bank. (2021). Agricultural value chain and market access in Sierra Leone: Opportunities and challenges. AfDB.
  2. Conteh, A., Johnson, B., & Mensah, K. (2022). Structural constraints in livestock production in Guinea and Liberia. West African Journal of Agricultural Research, 15(2), 45–62.
  3. FAO. (2020). Livestock and climate-smart agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa. FAO.
  4. ILRI. (2021). Ethiopia Livestock Master Plan: Strategies for small ruminant and dairy productivity improvement. ILRI.
  5. Johnson, P., & Mensah, R. (2023). Livestock sector challenges and opportunities in West Africa. Journal of Rural Development Studies, 18(1), 33–50.
  6. MAFS & FAO. (2021). Livestock development in Sierra Leone: Policy brief and strategic options. FAO.
  7. MAFS. (2023). Feed Salone Strategy 2023–2028: A national framework for agricultural transformation. Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.
  8. MAFS. (2024). National Sustainable Agriculture Development Plan (NSADP) 2010–2030. Government of Sierra Leone.
  9. Njala University & ILRI. (2022). Assessment of small ruminant production systems in Eastern Sierra Leone. ILRI.
  10. Stats SL & MAFS. (2024). Sierra Leone annual agricultural survey report 2024. Government of Sierra Leone.
  11. Stats SL. (2023). Agricultural household baseline survey for Sierra Leone 2023. Government of Sierra Leone.
  12. Thornton, P., Reenberg, A., & Tschakert, P. (2023). Climate change impacts on livestock systems in West Africa. Environmental Research Letters, 18(4), 045001.
  13. UNDP. (2022). Building resilience in rural livelihoods: Lessons from Sierra Leone. UNDP.
  14. USAID. (2021). West Africa livestock policy support program: Final report. USAID.
  15. World Bank. (2022). transforming agriculture in West Africa: Building resilient livestock systems. World Bank.

The 2024 Sierra Leone Annual Agricultural Survey (SLAAS) provides a comprehensive overview of livestock production across the country’s five administrative regions. Goats dominate holdings (53.2%), followed closely by poultry (55%), while sheep and cattle are less prevalent. Cattle are concentrated in the North-Western region, and pigs remain marginal. Constraints affecting productivity include inadequate veterinary services, dependence on traditional medicines, limited adoption of artificial insemination, and recurrent disease outbreaks. Despite these challenges, programs such as the Feed Salone Strategy (2023–2028) and the National Sustainable Agriculture Development Plan (NSADP) present opportunities for growth by promoting improved breeding, climate-smart practices, and enhanced market linkages (Stats SL/MAFS, 2024).

Keywords : Livestock Production, Veterinary Services, Feed Availability, Constraints.

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Paper Submission Last Date
31 - December - 2025

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