Government, UN Women Join Forces to Boost Women in Agriculture, Climate Action.

Government of Sierra Leone, through the Ministry of Agriculture and UN Women, convened a landmark multi-stakeholder forum to accelerate women's integration into agricultural value chains and climate resilience strategies. The gathering, held at the Ma Nyande Integrated Business Hub, spotlighted women's dominance in the sector and persistent structural barriers limiting their economic potential.

Officials ceremonially handed over agricultural equipment to women farmers' cooperatives. This gesture aims to boost productivity and scale women-led agri-businesses across the region. Attendees included the UN Resident Coordinator Seraphine Wakana, UN Women Regional Director Dr. Maxime Houinato, UN Women Head of Office Setcheme Jeronine Mongbo, and Agriculture Minister Dr. Henry Musa Kpaka, alongside other ministers and development partners.

Chairman Saffa Kanneh opened proceedings, emphasizing women's outsized role in agriculture. They comprise nearly 70 percent of the agricultural labor force. Yet, inadequate financial access, land ownership barriers, and limited technological support continue restricting their profitability. He called for targeted interventions, including expanded loan access and innovative farming tools.

The Bo District Council Chairman reinforced these sentiments, commending sustained government-UN collaboration. He acknowledged systemic challenges and pledged district-level backing for women-led farming enterprises.

Yatta Sama, representing the National Federation of Female Farmers, praised the Ministry's strides in agricultural development. She reaffirmed women's leadership roles and urged farmers to view agriculture as a viable pathway to economic independence.

UN Resident Coordinator Seraphine Wakana lauded organizers for prioritizing gender-inclusive agricultural policy. She reiterated UN commitment to Sierra Leone's development goals and encouraged women to vocalize their needs for continued institutional backing.

Dr. Maxime Houinato, UN Women Regional Director, stressed production capacity and market access as critical to women's full participation in agribusiness. Drawing on pan-African experience, he noted women's substantial contributions to national economies and called for deliberate value chain integration.

Women farmers shared transformative testimonials. Mariama Kalokoh described how poultry and livestock initiatives improved financial stability and bank access. She urged sustained support to bridge remaining gaps. Madam Agness Gbani welcomed the initiative as a roadmap for agri-business innovation.

Setcheme Jeronime Mongbo, on behalf of UN Women, reaffirmed commitment to dismantling gender inequality through cooperative strengthening. She emphasized sustainable income mechanisms to enable long-term agricultural investment.

Delivering the keynote address, Agriculture Minister Dr. Henry Musa Kpaka commended UN partners for timely support to Bo District farmers. He spotlighted the "Feed Salone" initiative, a government framework designed to strengthen food systems and integrate women into agricultural supply chains and market networks.

Dr. Kpaka outlined concrete government commitments. Forty-five percent of female farmers currently receive training on modern agricultural machinery. Women represent 40 percent of beneficiaries under World Bank-supported skills programs. He pledged continued reinforcement of gender-responsive agricultural policies and institutional capacity building.

The event concluded with equipment handover, symbolizing concrete progress toward positioning women as central drivers of agricultural transformation and climate resilience in Sierra Leone. This multi-stakeholder engagement marks another significant step in government-UN Women collaboration to advance women's economic empowerment through agriculture.

Correspondent-Kelvin Mark Kargbo

Email:mkelson367@gmail.com