Import Substitution of Key Staples:
Sierra Leone spends approximately $500 million annually on food imports. Our target is a yearly reduction of 25% on food imports for key value chains over the next five years. The 2024 spotlight will be on promoting self-sustenance in rice, poultry, onions and cassava flour (as replacement for wheat flour).
Boosting Export Earnings from Agriculture:
The aim is for agriculture to substantially contribute to foreign exchange earnings; the focus will be on optimizing value chains like cocoa, coffee, cashew and horticulture (fruits and pepper) targeting a bold 50% yearly increase in the export of these commodities.
Job Creation and Income Generation:
Our objective is to create at least 35,000 formal job opportunities by 2028, with the potential for thousands more in the informal sector. This will be achieved through the development of agro-industrial zones dedicated to comprehensive production, processing, and marketing of key value chains. These chains include rice, cocoa, coffee, cashew, small ruminants like sheep and goats, cassava products such as gari and flour, and horticultural items including fruits and vegetables.
Alleviating Hunger and Malnutrition:
In our stride towards food sovereignty, it is imperative that citizens have access to nutritious, locally produced food. We aim to increase the acceptable Food Consumption Score by 65%, cut chronic hunger by at least 50% and significantly reduce micronutrient deficiency among children by 2028. Pulses, tubers (Orange Flesh Sweet Potatoes and cassava) and aquaculture are the value chains that we will prioritise to achieve this.
Significantly Improve Climate Resilience:
Adopting sustainable and climate-smart techniques is essential for a resilient food system. We will promote agriculture techniques that enrich soil fertility, improve water retention, diversify crop production, and encourage the cultivation of climate-resistant crop varieties. We also aim to increase the green cover with cocoa and cashew.