On 6 December 2023, in Freetown, Sierra Leone, the main stakeholders of the national component of the West African Food System Resilience Programme (FSRP) officially launched the programme.
All the authorities have stressed the importance of the PRSF for Sierra Leone in order to boost agricultural productivity and increase the incomes of farmers, mainly rice producers, which will it possible to improve rice mechanisation and transform Sierra Leone's food landscape. The PRSF Sierra Leone is also an opportunity youth employment and the empowerment of women.
The Minister for Agriculture, Mr Kpaka, announced that the FSRP is a flagship programme of the government, which strongly supports rice producers and is committed to supporting the mechanisation of rice production.
The FSRP Sierra Leone also focuses on training and equipping researchers and practitioners with the skills and knowledge needed to meet the multifaceted challenges of the food system. Knowledge exchange will promote collaboration and partnerships between regional institutions, enabling the sharing of best practices and innovations. In addition, the development of a sustainable business model aims to ensure the long-term viability and success of the Sierra Leone Agricultural Research Institute (SLARI) as a centre excellence.
Dr Dixon, Chairman of SLARI's Board of Directors, revealed that SLARI is preparing to play a central role in transforming Sierra Leone's food landscape through the Feed Salone programme.
The Country Director of the World Bank emphasised the crucial need to open up spaces for agriculture, and stressed the key role played by young people in building a sustainable future.
