Feed Salone Strategy. A Blueprint for Agricultural Transformation in Sierra Leone. 2023-2028.

This Strategy defines the Government of Sierra Leone's dedication to agricultural transformation and the pursuit of food sovereignty, presenting challenges and opportunities in the country's agricultural sector, in order to: boost agriculture productivity, stimulate inclusive growth, increase access and availability of locally produced nutrient safe food, reduce the country's dependence on food imports, solve the problem of hunger, increase export earnings, create jobs in the agricultural sector, and strengthen a resilient food system. Therefore, the Strategy aims to achieve the following objectives: promoting self-sufficiency in rice, poultry, onions, and cassava flour, in order to reduce food imports; optimising value chains like cocoa, coffee, cashew and horticulture, in order to contribute to foreign exchange earnings; development of agro-industrial zones dedicated to comprehensive production, in order to create new job opportunities in the rural sector, focusing on processing and marketing cereals, fruits and vegetables, and breeding small ruminants like sheep and goats; prioritising the achievement of food sovereignty, through access to nutritious, locally produced food, such as vegetables and aquaculture products; adopting sustainable and climate-smart agricultural techniques, by enriching soil fertility, improving water retention, diversifying crop production.
The implementation of the Strategy is based on the following six pillars and the related measures and actions: 1) mechanisation and irrigation, through the availability of tractors and other agricultural machinery; 2) seed and input system, focusing on these areas of interventions: strengthening private sector to establish a fertiliser blending plant and explore large scale organic fertiliser manufacturing options; building an agro-dealers’ network across the country, with trained dealers interfacing with farmers; improvement the production of high-yielding seeds; 3) aggregation, processing and market linkages; 4) improving access to finance for smallholder and large-scale farmers, through the establishment of an agriculture mechanisation fund; promotion of income diversification strategies; development of rural financial services and access to credit for smallholder farmers; creation of Public Private Partnership arrangements; 5) climate smart agriculture, through the strengthening of agricultural extension services; investments in agricultural research and innovation; promotion of organic fertiliser and waste reduction, in a circular economy approach; 6) empowerment of women and youth, through targeted access to finance for women, training programmes for women and youth.