By Joseph Momoh, Reporter, D.S
Freetown, Sierra Leone – On Wednesday, April 23, 2025, the Government of Sierra Leone, in partnership with the World Food Programme (WFP), dispatched over 2,044 metric tons of locally grown rice, equivalent to 40,880 bags, to support institutional feeding programs.
The initiative is part of the FeedSalone homegrown program, aimed at benefiting various institutions, including schools, military facilities, and correctional centers. The rice distribution was officially launched by Dr. Henry Musa Kpaka, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, at the WFP warehouse in Kissy. Dr. Kpaka highlighted the initiative’s significance for school feeding programs, stating, “This is Feed Salone rice, grown here, processed here, and feeding our children. We’ve moved from vision to delivery. And this is just the beginning.”
This year’s local rice procurement has seen a significant increase, more than doubling the quantities purchased by WFP compared to the previous year. The procurement process was facilitated through a contract awarded by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, which empowers WFP to source rice directly from farmers for school feeding initiatives.
Additionally, support will extend to the Sierra Leone Produce Marketing Company (SLPMC) for procurement activities targeting other public institutions, including the military and police. This initiative has injected over $2 million into local economies and farming communities, providing a crucial boost to rural development. The rice supplied for the program was produced by approximately 12,000 smallholder farmers across seven districts, with the aim of feeding more than 270,000 pupils in 1,155 schools.
With Sierra Leone requiring around 1.1 million metric tons of rice annually and importing only 300,000 to 400,000 metric tons, the majority of the rice is now grown locally. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the government aims to expand this successful model to serve additional public institutions, including hospitals and other essential services.
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