Agriculture

Koinadugu and Falaba districts are food economy zones with comparative advantage in mechanical rice and maize production particularly in the vast boli land ecology. The main livelihood activity of the 59,588 farming households will provide ready market for the services that will compute with the rest of the country. From studies conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry in the two districts over the period clearly indicates that farmers are willing to pay for the services of tractors, power tillers, harvesters etc. pending on the availability of the facilities.

Geomining Consultancy have specifically targeted the farming population with Farmer Based Organization (FBOs), Agricultural Business Centers (ABCs), institutions such as districts councils, prisons, Military and Youth commission, NGOs, individual farmers and other economic operators. In addition, potential exists for partnership for service delivery where applicable. Geomining Consultancy as the only service provider machinery in Koinadugu District, have a contract with the Government of Sierra Leone to plow , harrow and seed harrow for a total of one thousand hectares (1000 ha) for Ministry of Agriculture (MAF) farmers and the Ministry of Youth farms in the district.

Implementation

According to the national farming calendar with particular reference to rice boli ecologies the operations (Plough, harrow and seed harrow) will start from March to June during each production circle. However, depending on the rainfall partner there will be variations in the implementation schedule. In view of the above, the company will start operation early March 2021 after the pre-positioning of the machines in each District by MAF in February 2021. Meanwhile, the sensitization of farming communities and identification of potential customers has been undertaken since 2021 and there has been a high demand for the equipment ever since. During the farming season, 60% of the machines are allocated to government farms , 20% of the machines to the company farm and the remaining 20% for hire to local farmers who are non-government beneficiaries.

GeoMinning Farm

The company has over five hundred hectares (500 hectares) of lease land in Tumania, Falaba District. The company has planted over fifty hectares (50 hectares) this fist farming season in Tumania of rice and 15 hectares of maize.

The company plan to plant vegetable products immediately after harvesting of the rice and maize. The company planned to increase the hectares of rice to 400 hectares and 100 hectares maize during the next raining season.