...$20M to be expended in next three years
August 8, 2016 By Ibrahim Tarawallie
President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has pledged that the agency would increase support to improve the agricultural sector in Sierra Leone, especially in rural areas.
Dr. Kanayo F. Nwanze, who was in the country to assess the extent to which IFAD has contributed to improving quality of life among the rural poor, told newsmen last Friday at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Freetown that the United Nations specialised agency would spend US$20 million in the next three years (2016-2018) on projects aimed at improving the sector.
He described agriculture as a money making business and a long term investment that create jobs for people, which is why they are poised to support the government in achieving their goals.
He stated that they have been in partnership with Sierra Leone since 1980, working with the government to provide support that targets rural areas of the country, adding that they have been able to finance eight projects, amounting to $252 million, of which 50% was contributed by the agency.
“513,000 households have benefited from our projects. We have evidence that our contributions to agricultural and rural development has resulted in improving incomes, food and nutrition security in rural areas, particularly in providing small producers and smallholder farmers with access to inputs, local and regional markets and rural financial services,” he said.
According to him, most of the foods people consume domestically are produced by smallholder farmers in rural areas, who unfortunately are also the poorest.
Dr. Nwanze asserted that farmers and the government would not be successful unless Sierra Leoneans consume what they produce, while calling for the creation of market to consume what is produce locally.
“There is nothing more nutritious than what you produce from your own soil. Let us change our mindset and if we want agriculture to thrive, we should learn to buy local, and eat local,” the IFAD President urged.
He maintained that IFAD’s major objective was to invest in rural people, including women, children and men in a bid to helping them move out of poverty, and eradicating hunger in rural areas of developing countries.
Whilst in the country, Dr. Nwanze had fruitful meetings with President Ernest Bai Koroma at State House, where ways of exploring new opportunities for joint investments in the country’s agricultural sector was discussed. He also held a meeting with Ministers of Finance and Economic Development, Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security, and Bank of Sierra Leone, among others.
Meanwhile, Minister of Agriculture, Professor Monte Jones said the country was honoured to play host to the IFAD president at a time when his ministry was working towards commercialised agriculture, as well as increasing production and productivity.