The African Development Bank (AfDB) Mission, led by Alex Saye Yeanay, OIC Country Representative, visited Sierra Leone to review the Sierra Leone Rice Special Agro-Industrial Processing Project and brief the Ministry of Finance on its progress.
Alex Saye Yeanay expressed appreciation for the Ministry of Finance’s ongoing communication with the Bank regarding the project’s implementation. “He thanked the leadership of the Ministry of Finance for constantly communicating with the Bank on the actualisation of this project.”
Yeanay also stated that the AfDB team is focusing on technical aspects to ensure that project timelines are met. “He added that the team from the Bank is working on the technical aspect so that the project will meet the specified implementation time.”
Rebecca Dadzie, Senior Agribusiness Officer at AfDB, explained that discussions with government officials and stakeholders aimed to evaluate how prepared they are for the proposed project in line with AfDB’s lending and grant requirements. The assessment included technical, economic, climate, social, and environmental factors before any approval could be granted. “She added that the Financial Secretary Matthew Dingie and team emphasised driving the private sector at the forefront of implementation, as well as the confirmation from the government on the counterpart funding for the project as a requirement for the Bank’s financing.”
Dadzie noted that findings from consultations and site visits were intended to address a request from Sierra Leone’s government for assistance in developing Rice Special Agro-Processing Zones in Kambia and Portloko. During these visits, challenges such as limited use of certified seeds by farmers, poor land preparation, high soil acidity, and insufficient access to fertilisers and agrochemicals were observed.
Minister of Finance Ahmed Sheku Fantamadi Bangura acknowledged AfDB’s efforts and advised choosing partners already invested in agricultural improvements. “The Minister of Finance, Ahmed Sheku Fantamadi Bangura, commended the team and advised that the team from AfDB choose partners who have already invested their resources in improving the agricultural sector.”
Minister Bangura suggested adopting a public-private partnership model to manage responsibility for newly constructed facilities. “Minister Bangura proposed that a PPP model would be developed to oversee and take responsibility for the constructed facility.”