By Kadijatu Bangura, Daily Scope
Freetown, April 14, 2026 The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has launched the Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation ePhyto Project, moving Sierra Leone from paper-based phytosanitary certificates to an electronic system aimed at speeding up agricultural trade.
The initiative is being rolled out with the Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, and the International Plant Protection Convention. Local implementation sits with the Crop Protection Unit of MAFS.
The soft-launch event was held at the Ministry’s Conference Hall in Freetown. The ePhyto platform enables the electronic issuance and exchange of phytosanitary certificates, designed to improve efficiency, boost transparency, and strengthen monitoring of plant shipments to manage plant health risks.
Deputy Minister II Sahr Hemore, launching the project on behalf of the Minister, praised GATF and FAO for their partnership. He called the shift transformative, saying it will replace the paper-based system with a modern electronic platform.
“This system will improve efficiency, transparency, and reliability in the issuance and exchange of certificates, facilitating safer and faster trade in agricultural commodities,” Hemore said.
An implementation mission running from April 13 to April 17 in Freetown is setting the foundation for the rollout. Hemore stressed that the work involves more than launching software. It includes building institutional capacity and deepening collaboration among government agencies and the private sector.
He added that government will provide policy direction, institutional support, and coordination to ensure the project cuts delays and costs in agricultural exports.
GATF Project Manager Laura Garrone said modernizing phytosanitary certification is critical for global agricultural trade. She commended Sierra Leone’s leadership and the work of MAFS and its Crop Protection Unit. GATF, she noted, brings together public institutions, private sector actors, and development partners to deliver practical reforms through shared ownership.
Chief Agriculture Officer Professor Abdulai Jalloh welcomed the initiative, linking it to the Ministry’s Feed Salone Project, which prioritizes higher production and export promotion.
The launch closed with technical presentations from Garrone, GATF’s Amine Belkhadir, and CPU Head Alie Mansaray on the global use of the ePhyto solution and its expected benefits for Sierra Leone.
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