People talk about low crop yields especially with the rice planted in wet and dry lands across Sierra Leone.

It is partially so because of the changes in weather system in Sierra Leone and the world over. While rains usually came late or early than usual, the sun is too hot now than ever. The year 2023 was the hottest ever in the world for about 100,000 years ago, according to scientists.

A lot of the farmers in Sierra Leone unlike in other parts of the country don’t blame the weather changes alone but attribute the strange phenomenon to the routine brushing off of trees and the thick forests and this has resulted to low fertile soils in upcountry, hence, has given up to low crop yields during the harvest period.

A woman rice crop grower in Tonkolili District shared with us her experience while visiting her son in Waterloo.

“Now when we plant rice in the land and on the swamp, it does not grow plenty.”

“Most of us don’t work again due to poor crop yields,” Mrs. Hawa Kamara spoke to Africa 24 journalist on Monday 31st March, 2025.

She was joined up in the conversation with a resident from Koinadugu District at Sunukoro village.

Both came to visit their children in Waterloo.

The Koinadugu resident explained that most farmers in their district have laid down tools because of lack of support.

He said the yester-years of communal labour is no more effective like in those days.

“When I planted my pepper garden, there were no men to help out to harvest it.

“Most have gone to gold mining while others have taken to Okada Riding,” he said, adding that it is not only about growing or planting garden crops but it is about getting the required number of people to help the owner of the garden to harvest what he planted.

Apart from the bad weather conditions in suburbs, villages and towns in the rurals, the attitude of able-bodied men and youth who used to organize communal labour in the provinces is affecting farming these days in Sierra Leone.

The situation has been made to be worsening as much bigger trees and forests have been burned down long ago by farmers which have resulted to the infertile soils now.