IFAD pledges financial support for Sierra Leone's agriculture

The President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has pledged 20 million U.S. dollars to help the Sierra Leone Ministry of Agriculture to enhance agricultural development in the country.

IFAD President Kanayo F. Nwanze who was on a two days fact finding tour to Sierra Leone made the disclosure at a press conference before he left over the weekend.

He told newsmen that they are working with the government to "develop a new program to support the country's agricultural productivity".

To ensure this, he pointed out that the citizens should form the habit of eating locally grown food. "Grow what you eat, buy and eat local to contribute to the development of your economy", he went on.

Nwanze noted that Sierra Leone has all it takes to attain food self sufficiency with the country enjoying abundant rain, a young and vibrant population with intellect together with a good leadership.

He said IFAD projects in the country have benefited over half a million households and that the partnership between Sierra Leone and the fund has been significantly strengthened since the commencement of the first project in Sierra Leone in 1980.

He disclosed that his fund's main business in the country is to invest "in rural people including women, children and men to get them out of poverty and so eradicating hunger in the rural areas of developing countries like Sierra Leone". Endit