By Foday Moriba Conteh
Key stakeholders in Sierra Leone’s agrifood sector which include Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the European Union have committed to concrete actions aimed at accelerating the implementation of Pillar 3 of the Feed Salone strategy.
The decision came following a high-level inter-sectoral dialogue held on Thursday 20th February, 2025 at the Atlantic Hotel in Freetown, bringing together representatives from Government Ministries, private sector actors, development partners and financial institutions.
Led by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (MAFS), the Feed Salone strategy is a national initiative designed to boost food security and drive inclusive economic growth. Pillar 3 specifically focuses on strengthening the aggregation, processing and marketing of agrifood products to enhance Sierra Leone’s competitiveness in both domestic and international markets.
In partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), MAFS has developed an operational plan for implementing Pillar 3. The plan, supported under the European Union’s Sustainable Agrifood Systems Intelligence Initiative (SASI), seeks to make Sierra Leone’s agrifood systems more inclusive and sustainable. It prioritizes private sector-led growth while ensuring active participation from smallholder farmers, women and youth in agricultural value chains.
A major goal of the strategy is to reduce reliance on food imports by increasing domestic production, ensuring that nutritious and affordable food is available to all Sierra Leoneans. To achieve this, stakeholders have outlined specific targets to be met by 2028, including:
- Expanding rice milling capacity from 112,000 tonnes to 650,240 tonnes per annum, improving quality and attracting private sector investment in rice processing.
- Increasing egg production from 3 million to 15 million eggs per annum, with a focus on greater involvement from women, youth and persons with disabilities.
- Expanding land under onion cultivation.
- Boosting cassava processing to increase market value and opportunities for agro-processors.
- Improving the quality of Sierra Leone’s cashew production to enhance its competitiveness in international markets.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security will lead the coordination, monitoring and support for the plan’s implementation. Speaking at the event, Henry Musa Kpaka, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, emphasized the Government’s dedication to agrifood transformation.
“We are committed to sustainably transforming the agrifood sector, ensuring inclusivity and job creation for our people. We call on Ministries, development partners, the private sector, NGOs, farmers and cooperatives to contribute to this national effort,” he stated.
The European Union Delegation in Sierra Leone also reaffirmed its support for the Feed Salone strategy. Federico Capurro, Food Systems Programme Manager, noted:
“The European Union is committed to supporting Sierra Leone’s objectives through financial and technical assistance. This plan is a crucial step towards achieving sustainable agrifood systems.”
Similarly, Saeed Abubakar Bancie, FAO Representative in Sierra Leone, welcomed the official adoption of the operational plan, describing it as both ambitious and realistic.
“We supported the design of this plan and are confident that it will significantly contribute to sustainable growth and greater inclusivity in Sierra Leone’s food production sector,” he remarked.
The SASI initiative, a partnership between the EU, FAO and Agrinatura is providing technical guidance to translate national agricultural goals into actionable policies and investments. With commitments in place, stakeholders will now focus on mobilizing resources and implementing the plan to ensure tangible progress in Sierra Leone’s agrifood sector.
The Feed Salone strategy is widely regarded as a critical pathway to achieving food security and economic transformation in the country. Its success will depend on sustained collaboration between the Government, private sector and development partners.
