In a recent meeting with the Sierra Leone Minister of Finance, Honorable Sheku Ahmed Fantamadi Bangura, IITA Director General and CGIAR Regional Director for Continental Africa Dr Simeon Ehui disclosed that IITA and CGIAR are open to providing support to the government and the Ministry of Finance. “A lot is happening on the continent and we want Sierra Leone to be part of the impactful changes happening on the food systems’ landscape,” he said.
In his welcome remarks, Hon Bangura hailed IITA’s intervention at this time as strategic. Speaking on the government’s plans to support homegrown solutions that will strengthen the economy, Hon Bagura said this can only be done with the support of various stakeholders. “Hence, the government is keenly open to working with partners like IITA to deliver the agricultural mandate,” he added.
During the meeting, Dr Ehui said IITA and CGIAR seek areas of collaboration while providing support to the country’s food security agenda and accelerating the implementation. He added that with the IITA office in Sierra Leone and the innovations available, the Institute can support the government whenever needed.
“I can see so many opportunities along the path to changing the landscape of food systems in Sierra Leone. As the Continental Director for CGIAR in Africa, part of my job is to coordinate synergy among all the centers across the continent, which will provide huge opportunities for the partnership,” he said.
With rice being a major staple crop in the country, both parties agreed on focusing on some value chains in the business as this will provide job opportunities for women and youth.
According to Hon Bangura, the availability of the right expertise and farming practices will help explore existing opportunities in the agricultural sector, and a partnership with IITA will serve as a stepping board for creating such solutions that will help improve the economy.
While reassuring Hon Bagura of IITA and CGIAR’s commitment to scaling innovations to impact the country’s agriculture sector and economy, Dr Ehui said aside from playing a collaborative role in a synergy that will include IITA, the government agencies in Sierra Leone and CGIAR centers across Africa, IITA also seeks to play the technical role.
With the IITA Sierra Leone office headed by IITA Director for Development and Delivery Alfred Dixon, collaborations with the Sierra Leone government are set for sustainable impact to improve the livelihoods of millions of smallholder farmers in the country.
Contributed by Timilehin OsundeContributed by
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