While Officials Celebrate Agricultural Transformation… Ordinary Sierra Leoneans Struggle To Put Food On The Table

By Abdul Rahman Bah

Sierra Leone’s celebration of World Food Day presents an uncomfortable contradiction that the government can no longer afford to ignore: while officials deliver speeches about agricultural transformation, food production and self-sufficiency, millions of ordinary citizens continue to struggle to put food on their tables. The country celebrates food, yet hunger remains a painful reality for households across the nation.

The situation raises serious questions about the effectiveness of government agricultural policies, the implementation of the Feed Salone initiative and whether the country’s reported agricultural progress is genuinely improving the lives of ordinary people.

According to the Food and Nutrition Security Early Warning System’s second-quarter 2026 assessment, 68.2 per cent of the population experienced moderate food insecurity, while another 8.9 per cent faced severe food insecurity. Combined, these figures mean that approximately 77.1 per cent of the population was experiencing some level of food insecurity.

The World Food Programme (WFP) similarly reports that 78 per cent of Sierra Leoneans are food insecure, while 26.2 per cent of children suffer from stunted growth associated with chronic malnutrition. These figures expose the magnitude of the country’s food and nutrition crisis.

Even more concerning, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimated that approximately 1.2 million people, representing 14 per cent of the analysed population, faced acute food insecurity during the June–August 2025 lean season. More than 103,000 people were classified in the emergency category.

These statistics demand more than government celebrations. They demand accountability.

The government has consistently presented Feed Salone as a flagship programme designed to transform agriculture, increase domestic food production, reduce import dependence and create employment opportunities. However, the fundamental question remains: if agricultural transformation is progressing as promised, why are so many families still unable to afford sufficient food?

Indeed, FAO estimated Sierra Leone’s 2024 cereal production at approximately 1.6 million tonnes, representing 16 per cent above the average of the preceding five years. Yet, widespread food insecurity persists. This demonstrates that increasing production alone does not automatically guarantee that people can afford or access food.

The problem is not simply food availability; it is also poverty, unemployment, weak purchasing power, inadequate distribution systems and the high cost of living.

For ordinary Sierra Leoneans, particularly low-income earners, civil servants, petty traders and unemployed young people, purchasing rice and other essential commodities remains a daily economic challenge. Families are increasingly forced to reduce their meals, compromise nutritional quality or depend on relatives and assistance to survive.

Meanwhile, smallholder farmers, who contribute significantly to the country’s agricultural economy, continue to struggle with inadequate financing, expensive farming inputs, poor feeder roads, limited irrigation facilities, insufficient storage and weak market access.

The government must therefore explain how much public money has been invested in Feed Salone, how much has been spent, what measurable results have been achieved and how many ordinary households have benefited. Parliament, particularly its relevant oversight committees, must demand transparent reporting rather than accept agricultural success stories without independent verification.

There is also an urgent need to address Sierra Leone’s continued dependence on imported rice. A country with considerable agricultural land, water resources and a large farming population should not remain so vulnerable to international food prices and supply disruptions.

World Food Day should not become another political platform for announcing ambitious promises that are rarely measured against the daily experiences of struggling citizens.

The government must understand that food security is not achieved through speeches, ceremonies, tractors displayed at exhibitions or agricultural statistics alone. It is achieved when farmers earn decent incomes, markets offer affordable food and families can provide nutritious meals without sacrificing other essential needs.

Ultimately, the real test of Feed Salone is not how impressively it is presented during national celebrations, but how effectively it reduces hunger, poverty and malnutrition.

Sierra Leone cannot continue celebrating food security while its people are struggling to feed themselves. The country needs results, not rhetoric; accountability, not political celebrations.