On October 1, 2024, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, hosted a validation workshop for the Feed Salone Pillar 3 Operational Plan at Family Kingdom in Aberdeen, Freetown. Funded by the European Union, the workshop focused on enhancing food security and promoting inclusive economic growth in Sierra Leone.
The session aimed to validate the implementation plan for Pillar 3 of the Feed Salone strategy, which emphasizes aggregation, processing, and market linkages. Harding Wayango, Assistant FAO Representative in Charge of Program, explained that the Ministry of Agriculture had requested support for developing an investment plan for this pillar. After three months of consultations with key partners, experts were convened to review findings and strengthen recommendations.
“This participatory multi-stakeholder workshop is crucial for making evidence-based decisions to boost investments in aggregation, processing, and market linkages in Sierra Leone,” Wayango stated. He underscored the importance of efficient market access for farmers and ongoing efforts to improve rural feeder roads, urging private sector involvement in infrastructure development.
Manty Tarawally, Minister of State, highlighted the workshop’s focus on food systems and their role in fulfilling the human right to food. She noted that 82% of Sierra Leone’s population faces food insecurity, exacerbated by the global economic crisis and climate change, with districts like Kenema and Falaba experiencing the highest vulnerability.
Despite these challenges, Tarawally shared the government’s commitment to transforming food systems alongside the Feed Salone initiative to ensure the availability of healthy, safe, and nutritious food. Eight pathways have been developed to strengthen the country’s food systems.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture Theresa Tenneh Dick, a farmer herself, emphasized the need for collective action to address food security. “Sustainable agrifood systems are essential for feeding future generations,” she stated.
The Feed Salone Strategy aims to enhance food security and economic growth in Sierra Leone through targeted investments. Pillar 3 focuses on improving the agrifood system’s capacity for aggregation, processing, and marketing both raw and value-added products, fostering competitiveness for local produce.
“The Government of Sierra Leone is committed to mobilizing investments and enhancing policies to boost agricultural productivity as part of its broader strategy for food security and economic growth,” Dick concluded.
