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AGRICULTURAL SECTOR
Sierra Leone is a nation with abundant rainfall, temperate climate, several rivers for irrigation and 5.4 million hectares of arable land. It is estimated that 75 percent of this arable land remains uncultivated. The land is suitable for the cultivation of crops such as cereals, tubers, cash crops, vegetables and rearing of livestock.
The government's new 'Feed Salone' agenda, outlined in the successor Medium-Term National Development Plan (MTNDP) for 2023-2030, places agriculture as its foremost priority. The aim of this agenda is to achieve food self-sufficiency in Sierra Leone by boosting domestic food production, reducing dependence on imports, and even creating surplus for export. The main objectives of the ‘Feed Salone’ strategy are to enhance import substitution, increase export earnings from agricultural products, create jobs especially for women and young people, reduce chronic hunger and malnutrition and improve climate resilience. Consequently, considerable support will be extended to farmers nationwide especially in the areas of mechanization, irrigation, and seed and inputs systems. Investing in food production during this period is therefore anticipated to be a highly lucrative venture.
OPPORTUNITIES
Labor saving agricultural equipment like tractors, power tillers, ploughs, and harvesters are opportunities for exporters and investors.
Investing in the provision of irrigation service as a result of the topography can offer particularly for rice up to three cycles in a year.
Adding value to agricultural products through processing and manufacturing presents an opportunity for investors for both the domestic and the international markets.
Investing in areas like agro-logistics and packaging are useful aspects required for local manufactures for the international market.
Partnerships with local farmers to expand cultivation, establish adequate storage and preservation facilities, and value addition chains are aspects that will eliminate post-harvest wastages of especially perishable crops like vegetables and fruits.
CHALLENGES
Potential investors in this sector may encounter a significant hurdle, primarily the substantial capital needed to import mechanized equipment and modern technology for crop cultivation, as well as for processing and preserving fish catches. Additionally, there is a challenge in the limited availability of agricultural inputs such as fertilizer, improved seeds, agro-chemicals, animal feeds, and veterinary inputs. Nonetheless, with the initiation of the 'Feed Salone' agenda, people engaged in different areas of the agricultural sector are expected to receive government support in various forms including subsidies. For more information, visit: https://maf.gov.sl
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