Sierra Leone Unveils $760M Agrifood Investment Plan at Rome FAO Forum

Sierra Leone unveiled its $760 million agrifood investment plan at the Hand-in-Hand Investment Forum at FAO Headquarters in Rome.

Agriculture and Food Security Minister Hon. Dr. Henry Musa Kpaka pitched the plan, positioning Sierra Leone as a prime destination for agrifood investment.

Minister Kpaka said Sierra Leone possesses 5.4 million hectares of arable land, with only 15 percent currently cultivated, reliable rainfall, a youthful workforce, and a President who has made agriculture the country's priority.

The investment plan, developed with FAO under the Hand-in-Hand Initiative, is a $760 million portfolio built around four value chains: Rice, Poultry, Cassava and Oil Palm.

Two value chains, Rice and Poultry, focus on import substitution, targeting large existing markets at home and across the region. The other two – Cassava and Oil Palm – are export-oriented, with cassava to be processed into starch and flour and oil palm refined locally for value addition.

In his message to investors, Dr. Kpaka said the fundamentals for investment are in place.

"The land is there. The workforce is there. The political commitment is there," he stated.

He said capital is needed for the middle of the value chain, including mills, feed production, storage facilities, and financing to accelerate the Feed Salone programme and sustain the gains already made.

He called on global investors to invest in Sierra Leone.