Climate-smart characteristics of the Food System Resilience Program (FSRP) agricultural technologies in Sierra Leone

This country brief evaluates the climate-smart characteristics of agricultural technologies promoted under the Food System Resilience Program (FSRP) in Sierra Leone. The objective is to provide scientific evidence on the extent to which the promoted technologies contribute to Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA). The study applied a structured evaluation framework based on 15 criteria aligned with the CSA pillars. The assessment relied on a review of scientific literature, institutional and project documents, and expert knowledge to determine the climate-smart characteristics of each technology. The results identified several best-bet CSA technologies with varied Climate-Smart Index (CSI). These include improved climate-resilient crop varieties such as SLICASS cassava varieties (SLICASS 4, 6, 7, and 10), ROK 34 rice (Pa Kiamp), Nerica L19, SLINUT 2, SLIPEA varieties, and SLIPOT sweet potato varieties; fertilizer management options such as granular urea, NPK (15-15-15), and DAP; small-scale and modern equipment such as hydraulic cassava press, rice thresher, combined mini-harvester, rice miller, solar-powered drip irrigation systems, greenhouse production systems, cassava grater, and mechanized peeler; as well as agricultural practices including intercropping (cassava with groundnut and cowpea) and crop rotation. Overall, the findings highlight that improved climate-resilient varieties, combined with efficient fertilizer management, mechanization, and climate-resilient practices, offer the strongest potential to enhance resilience in agricultural systems in Sierra Leone. The study emphasizes that these technologies are most effective when implemented as integrated packages rather than standalone solutions, ensuring synergies across the three CSA pillars: productivity, adaptation, and mitigation. These evidence-based insights are intended to guide farmers, technicians, extension agents, policymakers, development partners, and research institutions in prioritizing and scaling CSA technologies that strengthen climate resilience and sustainable production in Sierra Leone.