World Bank gives Guinea 15 mln USD to support agriculture sector

The World Bank will release 15 million U.S. dollars to support Guinea's agriculture sector which was seriously affected by the Ebola epidemic, an official source said Monday.

The support is part of the national agricultural investment plan that focuses on all aspects of agriculture that include farming and livestock keeping.

Part of the funds will also go towards protection of the environment.

In Guinea, 25 percent of the land is arable, which is equivalent to 6.2 million hectares, and at least 30 percent of this is effectively cultivated each year, data from the National Service for Agricultural Statistics shows.

The country also enjoys favourable weather conditions and has sufficient water resources that can be used in the agricultural sector.

In 2013, statistics show, Guinea's agriculture sector contributed 14.31 percent to the country's gross domestic product.

The sector also directly contributes to improvement of the living conditions of most Guineans, since over 80 percent of the population depends on the agricultural sector. Enditem