AfDB Executive Director pays a courtesy call to the Ministry of Agriculture.

MAF-Minister: Dr. Henry Musa Kpaka and AfDB - Executive Director: Dr. Elsiddig M. Rahma

The Executive Director of the African Development Bank team paid a courtesy call to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security. Visit aimed at understanding Ministry priorities, challenges, especially for the flagship ‘Feed Salone Project’. Goal: determining optimal AfDB support pathways.

Senior Ministry officials, including Deputy Minister (1) Dr. Theresa Tenneh Dick and Senior Permanent Secretary Mrs. Nancy A.S. Tengbeh, convened the high-level meeting at the MAFS Conference Hall. Discussions centered on strategic collaboration and national food security.

Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Henry Musa Kpaka, reaffirmed agriculture as a core commitment of His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio. He detailed the 'Feed Salone' strategy, designed to meet national staple food demand, slash import reliance, boost cash crop exports, and combat nutritional challenges.

To ensure decisive action, Minister Kpaka announced the establishment of a Presidential Council for the Delivery of Feed Salone, supported by a technical secretariat. This powerful council integrates key ministries: Finance, Trade, Energy, Environment, and Health to drive a unified, cross-governmental approach.

Dr. Kpaka outlined broader reforms to build a resilient food system, moving beyond smallholder cultivation. Critical policy shifts and consolidated financing are fueling transformative projects like the Sierra Leone Agricultural Research Institute (SLARI) and the Rice Agro-Industrial Cluster (SL RAIC).

The Minister expressly acknowledged and applauded AfDB's past capacity-building support, which has greatly benefited MAFS. He appealed for a continued and strengthened partnership to accelerate these national priorities.

Dr. Elsiddig Mohamed Rahma, Executive Director of AfDB for Sierra Leone, The Gambia, Liberia, Ghana, and Sudan, emphasized the courtesy call's purpose: to strengthen strategic ties and deeply understand the Ministry's development goals and constraints. On his first official visit to Sierra Leone, Dr. Rahma's engagement signals the Bank's focused interest in the country's agricultural transformation.

This high-level dialogue marks a significant step in aligning AfDB's expertise and resources with Sierra Leone's ambitious journey toward self-sufficiency and agricultural modernization under the Feed Salone agenda.

Correspondent-Musa Kamara

Email: Kaymuzay222@gmail.com

Tel: +232 78 155260