Training needs assessment of smallholder farmers in rice post-harvest value addition technologies in the Southern Region of Sierra Leone

Abstract

Training needs assessment study was conducted on rice post-harvest value addition technologies. The study was done in the Southern Region of Sierra Leone to assess the competence of smallholder farmers in rice post-harvest value addition. As a quantitative research method, a descriptive research design, which called for a survey by randomly and proportionately selecting 400 smallholder farmers across the four districts in the region (Bo, Bonthe, Moyamba, and Pujehun) was done. Quantitative primary data were sought from smallholder farmers through a structured interview schedule that contained 55 post-harvest value addition items. Training needs of smallholder farmers in rice post-harvest value addition were analyzed and ranked by using the Mean Weighted Discrepancy Score (MWDS) of the Borich Needs Assessment Model. Use of power tiller (10.48), harvesting paddy with combine harvester (9.95), keeping moisture content of grains at or below 14% wet basis (8.98), use of rice separator to grade broken rice (8.91), use of a machine to remove unfilled grains (8.34), and use of moisture meter to test for moisture content in rice (8.16) were among the highly ranked rice post-harvest value addition items where priority training needs were expressed by smallholder farmers in the study area districts. Key words: Competence, post-harvest technologies, smallholder farmers, Southern region, training needs, value addition.