By Mohamed Kamara
Freetown, June 12, 2024 — The Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Dr. Henry Musa Kpaka, revealed exciting developments in the “Feed Salone” project during an interview at his Youyi Building Office. Dr. Kpaka emphasized that this initiative is not just a strategy, but President Bio’s passionate commitment to ensuring food security. The Ministry of Finance has approved the hiring of 700 field staff in 2024 and another 300 in 2025, with the government pledging a significant investment of over NLe 37.6 billion over the next five years.
According to a World Bank report, agriculture contributes around 57% of Sierra Leone’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Dr. Kpaka highlighted that the government is implementing new policies to boost local rice production and reduce imports, which currently cost approximately USD 200 million annually. The Commodity Trading Company (CTC), which imports 60% of the nation’s rice, will now engage in local rice value chain production and sales. Additionally, a new policy aims to ensure that up to 20% of rice purchased by the government for public institutions is locally produced.
To further support the private sector, including importers, poultry farmers, and onion producers, the Bank of Sierra Leone has launched a USD 10 million Agricultural Credit Facility (ACF). The government is laying the groundwork for Sierra Leone to achieve rice self-sufficiency by cultivating an additional 45,000 hectares of land in 2024, alongside the 500,000 hectares managed by private sector farmers and businesses.
Despite the challenges, the benefits of these initiatives are becoming evident. Dr. Kpaka noted that eight months ago, Sierra Leone faced an onion crisis. Thanks to effective government interventions, local onions are now more readily available at nearly half the price of imported ones. Private sector participation in agriculture is also on the rise, further contributing to the positive outcomes of the Feed Salone project.
