By Ishmail Saidu Kanu
Severe malnutrition in Sierra Leone has decreased from 28% in 2023 to 13% in 2025, according to the latest progress report on Feed Salone, submitted to President Julius Maada Bio at State House.
This programme constitutes the Government’s principal mechanism for addressing the nation’s persistent food security challenges.
Established in October 2023, the Presidential Council for Delivering Feed Salone is charged with ensuring that the project yields measurable outcomes in agricultural productivity, employment creation, and national food sufficiency.
President Bio stressed that the Council is composed of suitably qualified Sierra Leoneans mandated to transform the agricultural sector from subsistence-level operations into a modern, productive industry capable of generating economic growth and improving rural livelihoods.
In his address, the President noted tangible gains, including improved food production, increased cocoa exports, and the near completion of irrigation projects in Tormabum and Gbondapi.
He mentioned the strategic importance of domestic food production in mitigating the risks posed by global supply chain disruptions arising from geopolitical tensions and conflicts.
Furthermore, he highlighted the necessity of robust agricultural infrastructure, encompassing storage facilities, milling plants, feeder roads, and marketplaces, as well as the integration of technological and data-driven approaches to modernize the sector.
Minister of Agriculture Henry Musa Kpaka provided an update on implementation, noting that the Government has facilitated the cultivation of approximately 17,100 hectares of rice, 3,000 hectares of cocoa, 670 hectares of maize, and 490 hectares of onions, while domestic seed production has obviated the need for imports over the past three years.
Looking forward to 2026, the Government intends to establish two rice production clusters, a Cocoa Board, an Agricultural Development Bank and Insurance Scheme, and to expand livestock and veterinary services.
The recent delivery of 40 tractors further reinforces these objectives.
