Abstract
BackgroundMango is an important tree fruit in Sierra Leone since it participates to food and nutritional security mainly in rural areas. However, the economic potential of this tree fruit is still untapped to a large extent. This situation is due to high loss and poor handling at post-harvest stage preventing farmers from meeting the quality standard for different markets. The aims of this paper were to analyse the constrains and opportunities for mango value chain development, as well as community-based copping strategies developed by chain actors to valorise the existing opportunities for better market development and forest conservation.MethodsData were collected in four sites around the Outamba Kilimi National Park, Sierra Leone, through focus group discussions with men and women groups of 25–35 mango value chain actors in each site.ResultsResults indicated that mango value chain is composed of nursery suppliers, mango producers, harvesters and assemblers, processors and traders. Main constraints encountered by both men and women are lack of: (1) polythene bags and improved mango seedlings, mineral fertilisers, herbicides, pesticide, (2) training on appropriate mango production practices, (3) appropriate harvesting tools, (4) appropriate processing knowledge and equipment, as well as high transportation cost. Hand weeding, use of available organic fertiliser, seeking of advices from colleagues farmers, equipment from other processors who own local processing equipment were some of the coping strategies developed by various actors along mango value chains. Soil fertility, favourable climatic conditions, technical and financial support from direct or indirect actors through training on good agronomic practices, processing and marketing techniques, availability of hired labour to perform farming and processing operations, existence of local processing plant to serve as outlet for fresh mango were identified as main factors to be exploited to improve mango value chains around Outamba Kilimi National Park in Sierra Leone.ConclusionsOur results provided insight into the various factors limiting the performance of mango value chains around Outamba Kilimi National Park in Sierra Leone. This baseline study will help in designing and implementing appropriate strategies to promote mango value chains in the areas around the Outamba Kilimi National Park.
Highlights
Mango is an important tree fruit in Sierra Leone since it participates to food and nutritional security mainly in rural areas
Two types of actors were distinguished in the mango value chain: direct and indirect actors
Findings showed that mango value chain in the study site was poorly developed, with the fruit and fruit-based products sold in local markets (Fig. 3); fruits are sold to the juice factory Africa Felix Juice (AFJ) which are processed and exported to European Union
Summary
Mango is an important tree fruit in Sierra Leone since it participates to food and nutritional security mainly in rural areas. West African countries such as Cape Verde, Niger, Sierra Leone, Togo and Benin are facing problems in taking advantage from this important fruit tree due to the high post-harvest loss ranging between 40 and 50% of the produced mango [9]. This paper aimed at (i) mapping the mango value chains in Sierra Leone with emphasis on therelationship between value chains actors (ii) determining the roles and responsibilities of each value chain actors, and (iii) identifying the constraints and the opportunities of the mango sector in order to set priorities and highlight conditions enabling its dissemination This will help to increase the willingness of farmers to grow mango tree facilitating its role as biocarbon sequestration; in addition, more income will be generated from the mango tree exploitation. This is due to the cultivated varieties and the agronomic practices applied by famers [10]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
