The Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture and Food Security has expressed strong support for the Sierra Leone Agribusiness and Value Chain Support (SLARIS) project following a comprehensive two-day oversight tour just this month.

The committee, chaired by Salieu Sesay, highlighted the project’s alignment with national goals, particularly the ambitious Feed Salone initiative aimed at enhancing agriculture and food security.

SLARIS, with a five year lifespan valued at $11.9 million operates across three key districts, Kambia, Moyamba, and Kenema. The project is supported by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Government of Sierra Leone (GoSL).

It aims to benefit an estimated 32,000 household farmers, with a partnership network that includes the Sierra Leone Seeds Certification Agency (SLeSCA), the Sierra Leone Agricultural Research Institute (SLARi), Njala University, and various private seed entities.

Project Manager Tamba Jumu detailed SLARIS’s contributions, which encompass three main components: support to research and development, backing for the Njala Enable Youth Program, and effective project management.

Emphasizing capacity building, the program aims to train 1,000 individuals, providing them with start-up grants through a competitive process, the report highlighted.

The parliamentarians specifically noted the impressive infrastructure developments during the tour, including the construction of a 4,000-5,000 MT seed storage facility in Konta Line, equipped with a dry floor and WASH facilities.

This significant investment aims to mitigate past challenges associated with seed storage, ensuring farmers have adequate resources for planting seasons.

The committee members also visited a newly constructed seed testing laboratory at Mile 91, which services the SLeSCA. This lab, recognized as a regional hub for seed quality analysis, has attracted samples from across West Africa, underscoring its importance in improving agricultural standards.

The report also detailed, the construction of a middle-level manpower training institution at Njala University, part of the Njala Enable Youth Program, is nearing completion, with over 85 percent of the work finished.

This initiative supports Pillar Six of the Feed Salone Agenda and has already facilitated capacity-building training for 974 youths in various agricultural value chains.

The committee unanimously agreed that SLARIS not only fits within the framework of the government’s agricultural agenda but significantly propels it forward. Observing the successful implementation of the project, members recognized its potential to play a pivotal role in enhancing the livelihoods of farmers and ensuring food security across Sierra Leone.

As the SLARIS project approaches completion, its contributions to agriculture and community development are poised to create lasting impacts, proving crucial as the country steer its path toward sustainable agricultural growth.