Sierra Leone

"After emerging from a civil war that lasted from 1991 to 2002, Sierra Leone has been working to overcome severe poverty and food insecurity. During its transition, Sierra Leone has dramatically increased its hectarage of arable land, to 1 795 000 hectares. This is important, because agriculture is a critical component of the national economy, with 60 percent of the population dependent on farming for its livelihood. This percentage is mostly involved in small-scale, peasant production. Another improvement has taken place in Sierra Leone’s malnourishment rate of 35 percent. That is down from 43 percent recorded at the end of the country’s civil conflict in 2001. However, life expectancy and child mortality numbers are still at a shocking 48 years and 192 per 1 000 births, respectively."

Source: FAO Country Profiles: Sierra Leone