sides of the border to the fishing Islands and enclaves. This sector more than any other, demonstrates the division of labour between men and women in the community. While the men are the fishers, the fish trade is completely dominated by the women. Animal raising of sheep and goats on small-scale units has declined because of forced sales in order to compensate for the chronic fall in agricultural production and the subsequent rural poverty. Cattle rearing by groups of resident Fullahs in the North-east of the district has similarly disappeared as they have migrated to Guinea, due to the protracted civil war. An FAO report in 1996 stated that 40% of Sierra Leonean livestock was now in Guinea. Outside agriculture, commerce is probably the most important source of income for the population. In addition to domestic trade, cross-border trade expanded to all the different chiefdoms in the district. This is due mainly to the growth of outside agriculture; commerce is probably the most important source of the traditional weekly market villages known as the "LOUMAH" along the border. Although disrupted during the war, these weekly markets have resumed and increased in number from 5 in the pre-war period to 15, with traders coming from various parts of both countries, from as far as Conakry, Nzerekore, Macenta and Faranah in Guinea and from provincial Headquarters towns of Bo, Kenema, Kono, Makeni and the capital city of Freetown, giving these village markets a true international character. The products offered are mainly agricultural and food products, clothes and some imported consumer goods. Like other commercial activities, women traders from both sides of the border were the principal sellers in such markets, travelling from one town and village to the other. However men are increasingly participating in commerce and a pattern of division of labour between sexes can be observed as the women trade mainly in agricultural products and processed food items while the men trade mainly in imported consumer goods. Problems of the district Kambia district was the last to experience the civil war, with the first wave of attacks by the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) in January 1995 and later in 1998. Finally, in February 1999, the rebels occupied all the major towns in the district including the headquarters town of Kambia until disarmament in May 2001. It is also here that the reintegration efforts have been less successful and have fallen