By: Saidu Jalloh
The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (MAFS) has successfully concluded a five-day Technical Start-Up Workshop for the Livestock and Livelihoods Development Project (LLDP), held from January 26 to 30, 2026, at the Atlantic Hotel in Lumley, Freetown.
The workshop brought together key government officials, development partners, and technical stakeholders to finalize the project’s work plan and align implementation priorities aimed at improving the livelihoods of smallholder farmers in the livestock sector.
The LLDP is jointly financed by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), the Lives and Livelihoods Fund (LLF), the OPEC Fund for International Development, Heifer International, and the Government of Sierra Leone.
Speaking at the event, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Henry Musa Kpaka, commended the Islamic Development Bank and its co-financier, the Lives and Livelihoods Fund, for achieving the project’s first disbursement within a short period. He described this achievement as a major milestone following over a year of project preparation.
Dr. Kpaka acknowledged the efforts of the Project Management Unit (PMU), development partners, and officials from the Ministries of Finance and Agriculture in operationalizing the project. He noted that the LLDP represents a landmark investment under the government’s Feed Salone agricultural transformation agenda and emphasized its national significance, adding that the project has the full attention of President Julius Maada Bio.
He urged all partners to work collaboratively, address challenges proactively, and treat the LLDP as a unified national intervention to ensure successful implementation.
Also speaking, Mr. Sabiu Auwal of the Islamic Development Bank said the project was carefully designed and is under close technical supervision. He advised the PMU to strictly adhere to IsDB reporting templates to ensure consistency and compliance, and reaffirmed IsDB and LLF’s continued support in procurement, financial management, capacity building, and beneficiary mapping.
Representing the Ministry of Finance, Mr. Kenneth King reaffirmed the government’s commitment to the successful implementation of the project and assured stakeholders that Sierra Leone would meet all financial obligations agreed upon with its development partners.
The LLDP Coordinator, Mr. Tejan Koroma, assured partners that recommendations from the workshop would be thoroughly reviewed and incorporated into project implementation. He stated that the project would align its activities with the Feed Salone initiative and the Medium-Term National Development Plan (MTNDP).
Key areas discussed during the workshop included financial management procedures, gender equality and women’s empowerment, climate adaptation, strategic and operational alignment, and project communication. Participants emphasized the need for accountability in financial disbursement, inclusive implementation, enhanced visibility of project activities, and transparent reporting supported by regular newsletters and audio-visual documentation.
The Technical Start-Up Workshop attracted a wide range of stakeholders from government institutions, development partners, and implementing agencies within the livestock and agriculture sectors.