Rapid Assessment of the Horticulture Sector in Guinea

The Horticulture Innovation Lab recently evaluated fruit and vegetable production in Guinea, as part of USAID’s ongoing food security response in the wake of the West African outbreak of Ebola.

The report, “Rapid Assessment of the Horticulture Sector in Guinea” is now available online. It identifies constraints to improving horticultural production at household and commercial levels in Guinea, along with specific recommendations for improvements. It is intended to provide guidance to USAID for Feed the Future investments in Guinea’s agriculture.

“We provided a list that is doable, makes sense in the context of Guinea specifically, and identifies where to start for greater impact. The next step for the Horticulture Innovation Lab is that we would like to explore potential partners who can work with us in Guinea, for future research opportunities” said Amanda Crump, associate director of the Horticulture Innovation Lab and one of the authors.

Guinean farmers consistently identified eggplant and chili pepper as important horticultural crops, while the report also focuses on okra, tomato, mango and citrus, with specific recommendations for each crop. Recommendations in the report are separated into categories based on farmers in different wealth quartiles, women farmers, farmers in specific geographic zones, specific crops, and links in the horticultural value chain.

Read the rest of the article for highlights of Guinean horticulture or go to the report and its recommendations.

Related:
CALL FOR TRELLIS FUND GRANT PROPOSALS Small grants (up to $2,000 each) are available for organizations in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Nepal, Rwanda, Senegal, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Uganda, or Zambia. To apply, organizations need to submit a project proposal that addresses a horticultural problem facing local farmers by Jan. 18, 2016.