Freetown — Njala University School of Environmental Science and Agriculture has been cited by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Sierra Leone Environment Protection Agency (SLEPA) as the lead agency to integrate sustainable land management (SLM) into the college curricula.

The project manager of SLEPA, Lahai Samba Keita said people lack the knowledge on how to manage their environment and therefore exposing it to danger. "To achieve a comprehensive sustainable land management countrywide, it must be instituted into schools and university curricula to build a strong capacity and also to enhance agricultural productivity," Lahai said. Mariatu Swaray, representing the UNDP, said the organization will be the global environment facility (GEF) implementing agency for the sustainable land management project.

She said the project implementation unit (PIU) attached to SLEPA will be charged with the responsibility of coordinating and directing project execution. According to Swaray, the PIU will be headed by the project coordinator with two supporting staff, and also will be responsible for work plans, reporting, presentation and coordination of all the partners involved in executing the project.

She said a national NGO will be selected to be the leader for the development and demonstration of the community based natural forest management (CBNFM) and fire management systems. Dean of the School of Environmental Science at Njala University, Dr. Winnebah, said they are willing to integrate the course into their curricula, adding that "for the past decades, the university has been acting as a leading advocate in the fight against environmental degradation in the country and therefore will continue to provide the knowledge in sustainable land management.