Agrifood Summit Kicks Off in Freetown as Bio Pushes for Agricultural Transformation

The Sierra Leone Agrifood Investor Summit opened today at the New Brookfields Hotel in Freetown, with President Julius Maada Bio delivering the keynote address and reaffirming his government’s commitment to the Feed Salone initiative aimed at boosting local food production.

President Bio emphasized that agriculture remains central to Sierra Leone’s economic transformation agenda. He noted that comprehensive reforms and new policies have been introduced to make the sector more attractive to both local and foreign investors.

The summit forms part of the government’s Feed Salone strategy, which seeks to increase food self-sufficiency, improve agricultural value chains, and reduce the country’s dependency on imports. President Bio reiterated that Sierra Leone is ready for private sector collaboration to achieve these goals.

He also extended appreciation to the European Union Delegation to Sierra Leone, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and other development partners for their consistent support in strengthening the country’s agrifood systems.

The two-day event brings together government officials, investors, farmers, and development partners to explore opportunities for expanding agribusiness and building a resilient, self-reliant food economy in Sierra Leone.