By: Aminata Sesay
Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has reinforced its regional agricultural transformation agenda through a high-level engagement with Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (MAFS).
The meeting, held on 25 February 2026 at Youyi Building in Freetown, forms part of ECOWAS’ ongoing consultations with Member States aimed at harmonizing agricultural reforms and strengthening food systems resilience across West Africa.
Leading the delegation, ECOWAS Commissioner Sylla Kalilou emphasized that agriculture remains central to the bloc’s regional economic integration framework. He explained that the visit was intended not only to assess Sierra Leone’s agricultural progress but also to identify scalable best practices that could inform regional programming.
Commissioner Kalilou commended Sierra Leone’s progress under President Julius Maada Bio’s Feed Salone initiative, particularly the reported achievement of 72 percent national food self-sufficiency. He described the country’s advancements in rice, poultry, and onion value chains as evidence that coordinated policy direction, strong political will, and strategic partnerships can deliver measurable results.
Speaking at the meeting, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Henry Musa Kpaka, positioned Sierra Leone as an active partner in advancing ECOWAS’ regional agricultural competitiveness agenda. He emphasized the importance of aligning national strategies with regional trade frameworks, research systems, and agricultural input markets to unlock economies of scale across West Africa.
Dr. Kpaka further highlighted the need for strengthened collaboration in research, innovation, capacity building, and private sector participation to enhance productivity and market access. He noted that reduced food imports particularly rice, poultry, eggs, and onions have enabled the government to redirect resources to other priority sectors while strengthening domestic production systems.
The ECOWAS Commissioner also revealed that broader regional initiatives are underway in Liberia, The Gambia, and Cameroon. These programs, he said, are aimed at improving competitiveness, raising quality standards, and expanding access to both regional and international markets.
In her closing remarks, Senior Permanent Secretary Madam Nancy Tengbeh outlined key technical follow-up actions to ensure alignment between Sierra Leone’s agricultural priorities and ECOWAS’ regional transformation roadmap.
The engagement signals a renewed commitment by ECOWAS to translate regional agricultural policies into coordinated national action, strengthening food security, economic resilience, and long-term sustainability across West Africa.