Freetown, Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone is ramping up investments to position itself as a key player in the global food export market. Located near major cocoa-producing countries like Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, and sharing a similar climate, Sierra Leone has strong potential to become a significant exporter of commodities such as cocoa, cashew, rice, and cassava.
However, the country faces several challenges. According to the World Food Programme, a staggering 82.3% of the population is food insecure. Additionally, due to inadequate processing infrastructure, Sierra Leone imports a large amount of rice to meet domestic demand.
To address these issues, the country recently secured $100 million in funding from the African Development Bank (AfDB), building on an existing $480 million in investments from OPEC and the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa (BADEA). This new investment is part of Sierra Leone’s ambitious strategy to overhaul its food system, reduce food insecurity, and ultimately become a major food exporter.
How Will the Funding Be Used?
The recent AfDB funding will contribute to Sierra Leone’s broader ‘Feed Salone’ initiative, which is a collaborative effort involving contributions from the government, NGOs, and private sector investors. The initiative is designed to transform the country’s food production system, focusing on both addressing food insecurity and enhancing its export potential.
According to Dr. Henry Musa Kpaka, Sierra Leone’s Minister for Agriculture and Food Security, the project is conservatively estimated at $1.8 billion in total. This comprehensive approach seeks to build essential infrastructure that can support the country’s agricultural ambitions and help alleviate its reliance on food imports.
How Will the Funding Reduce Food Insecurity?
Sierra Leone’s rice consumption per capita is one of the highest in the world, with an average of 131 kg per person per year. Although the country is currently 65-70% rice self-sufficient, the lack of adequate processing facilities forces it to rely heavily on imports to close the gap. In fact, about one-third of Sierra Leone’s food import bill is spent on rice alone.
Another challenge is that some of the country’s domestically produced rice is exported to neighboring countries like Guinea, Liberia, and Senegal. Some farmers even agree to sell their rice before it is harvested, making it harder for Sierra Leone to meet its own demand.
To become fully self-sufficient in rice production, Sierra Leone needs to develop agro-processing zones, build better roads for transportation, and establish access to energy and irrigation systems. Investments in these critical areas could significantly boost production. For instance, according to Dr. Kpaka, improved irrigation could double rice yields from two tons per hectare to four.
This funding and infrastructure development are pivotal steps toward Sierra Leone’s goal of addressing food insecurity, reducing its dependence on imports, and positioning itself as a key agricultural exporter in the region.
Source: Food Navigator | Photo Credit: Getty Images/WS Studio
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The Common African Agro-Parks Programme (CAAPs) is aimed at boosting regional trade for agricultural commodities by increasing locally processing of key agricultural products. The CAAPs will help Africa take over the African Food Import Market of about USD50 billion per annum that is currently outsourced to the rest of the world. Read more at https://faraafrica.org/caaps/
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What initiatives are in place to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Sierra Leone?