By Kadijatu Bangura, D.S. Reporter
Sierra Leone and five other West African countries have launched a $5 million Rice Investment Facility at the Africa Food Systems Forum 2026 to scale financing for competitive rice value chains.
Chief Minister Dr. David Moinina Sengeh joined the regional roundtable on “Scaling Innovative Finance for Competitive Rice Value Chains” where the facility was unveiled.
Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Musa Kpaka, told participants that opportunities exist for private sector participation alongside government and development partners.
During the discussions, the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development committed $100 million to kickstart the fund. The African Development Bank, IFAD, the World Bank and other partners also pledged support through various instruments, while additional partners offered technical assistance.
Chief Minister Sengeh said the Government of Sierra Leone is already investing about $100 million to establish Rice Zones and agro-processing clusters. He added that the government has expanded road access and built bridges to link farms to markets.
He noted that through policy reforms, Sierra Leone has created incentives and concessions to attract companies that will take advantage of the new financing instruments.
Using the platform, Sengeh also invited partners to the upcoming West Africa Integration and Investment Summit scheduled for November in Sierra Leone.
The $5 million facility is expected to boost rice production, processing and trade across the region as countries seek to reduce import dependency and strengthen food security.
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