Following five years of civil strife, the current peace process is progressively leading to a return of normal activities. Programs of food assistance for resettlement have started and more than 500 000 displaced people have returned to their homes notably in southern province. However, the situation remains unstable in Kailahun and the east of Moyamba district areas, where occasional fighting still occurs. Ambushes and looting were reported in February on the Freetown-Bo Highway.
An FAO/WFP Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission visited Sierra Leone in late 1996 to estimate 1996 production and the national food requirements for 1997. The Mission found that agricultural production like all other productive sectors of the economy, had been badly affected by the war which started in Southern and Eastern parts of the country in 1991 and spread to the rest of the country by 1994/95. The war caused large-scale displacement of farmers, thereby cutting off large portions of land from production. Apart from being displaced, many farmers, particularly those in areas which were under frequent attacks, also lost seeds, tools, on-farm storage facilities and other productive assets to the extent that even those returning from displacement camps have not been able to resume production without help from relief agencies and NGOs. It is estimated that about 180 000 farm families were directly affected by the conflict. As a result, agricultural production has drastically dropped throughout the country in the last five years.
The Mission estimated the total area planted to rice in 1996 at about 289 200 hectares, 5 percent more than in 1995. Paddy production was estimated at 391 000 tons, 10 percent above 1995. Production of root crops is also projected to increase to an estimated 328 000 tons, some 7 percent above 1995 level.
At this level of production, the cereal import requirement for 1997 is estimated at 259 000 tons and food aid requirement at 79 300 tons. Cereal food aid requirements to support resettlement/rehabilitation activities implemented by WFP and CRS have been estimated at 60 500 tons for 1997. By February about 318 500 Sierra Leonean refugees remained in neighbouring countries, of whom, 200 000 are in Guinea, and 118 500 in Liberia. Repatriation is scheduled to start in June with 60 000 refugees from Monrovia, Mali, Gambia and Guinea. A second phase in November will facilitate the return of 80 000 people from Bomi and Cape Mount counties in Liberia and Guedekou in Guinea. The third phase will help the repatriation of 120 000 refugees from Lofa county in Liberia and Guinea.