Government Hosts First-Ever Agrifood Investor Summit to Boost Agricultural Investment
By: Sorie Sesay
The Government of Sierra Leone, through the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security under the Feed Salone Project, has hosted a three-day Agrifood Investor Summitat the New Brookfields Hotel in Freetown, aimed at attracting local and international investors into the country’s agricultural sector.
In his opening remarks, Dr. Edward Hinga Sandy, Executive Director of the National Investment Board (NIB), said the government is pursuing further reforms to make Sierra Leone a more attractive destination for investors. He stated that the NIB, established by an Act of Parliament in 2022 and chaired by President Julius Maada Bio, has become the gateway for business establishment in the country and now guides national investment coordination through a newly developed National Investment Plan.
Dr. Sandy noted that business registration has become faster and easier for entrepreneurs, signaling continued improvement in the investment climate.
Speaking at the event, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Henry Musa Kpaka, thanked development partners and explained that the summit emerged from joint consultations between the government, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and other partners.
He said the government’s flagship Feed Salone Projectis designed to transform agriculture into a key driver of economic growth and job creation, in line with President Bio’s vision for Sierra Leone to attain middle-income status by 2039.
Dr. Kpaka emphasized that government alone cannot achieve this goal and called for greater private sector participation. He noted progress in reducing imports of food items such as rice, eggs, chicken, and onions, while increasing exports that generate foreign exchange. He added that rising smallholder productivity is driving demand for agro-processing and investment capital, stressing that the government is investing in infrastructure, financing, and technical training to support the sector.
Delivering the keynote address, President Dr. Julius Maada Bio described the summit as a major milestone in Sierra Leone’s development agenda, saying it represents a national effort to secure food supply, create jobs, and boost economic growth.
The President reaffirmed his commitment to building a modern agrifood economy driven by private sector investment, local entrepreneurship, and international partnerships. He thanked partners including the FAO, European Union (EU), andInvest Salone for their continued collaboration.
President Bio reiterated his call for Sierra Leoneans to “grow what we eat and eat what we grow,” and urged the diaspora and local investors to bring home capital and innovation to strengthen food security.
He also underscored the vital role of youth and women in the agricultural value chain, noting, “If our youth succeed, Sierra Leone succeeds.”
The summit, the first of its kind in the country, brought together over 25 international investors, 40 local companies, and representatives from government, civil society, and development partners. It showcased investment opportunities across key value chains such as rice, cassava, cocoa, oil palm, and livestock, all of which hold significant potential for growth and export.
