The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has concluded a five-day Technical Start-Up Workshop for the Livestock and Livelihoods Development Project (LLDP), held from 26 to 30 January 2026 at the Atlantic Hotel in Lumley, Freetown.

The workshop brought together key stakeholders to finalize the project work plan and align priorities aimed at improving the livelihoods of smallholder farmers in Sierra Leone’s livestock sector.

The Livestock and Livelihoods Development Project is jointly financed by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), the Lives and Livelihoods Fund (LLF), the OPEC Fund for International Development, HEIFER International, and the Government of Sierra Leone.

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Addressing participants at the workshop, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Henry Musa Kpaka, praised the Islamic Development Bank and its co-financier, the Lives and Livelihoods Fund, for achieving the first disbursement of funds within a short period under the new project.

He described the disbursement as a major milestone after nearly a year of preparation. Dr. Kpaka acknowledged the combined efforts of the Project Management Unit, development partners, and officials from the Ministries of Finance and Agriculture in ensuring that the project moved from planning to implementation.

The Minister described the Livestock and Livelihoods Development Project as a landmark investment under the government’s Feed Salone agricultural transformation agenda. He said the project carries strong national significance and has the full attention of President Julius Maada Bio.

Dr. Kpaka urged all partners to remain aligned, treat the project as a single national intervention, communicate challenges early, and sustain close collaboration and regular technical engagement to ensure smooth implementation and positive outcomes for the livestock sector.

Representing the Islamic Development Bank, Mr. Sabiu Auwal said the livestock project was carefully designed and is under close technical supervision. He encouraged the Project Management Unit to use IsDB reporting templates to ensure consistency and compliance.

Mr. Auwal reaffirmed the continued support of IsDB and LLF in areas such as procurement, financial management, capacity building and beneficiary mapping, while encouraging the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to take full ownership of the project with ongoing technical guidance from the financiers.

Speaking on behalf of the Ministry of Finance, Mr. Kenneth King reaffirmed the Government of Sierra Leone’s strong commitment to the successful implementation of the project. He assured stakeholders that the government would honor all financial obligations agreed upon with development partners.

The Project Coordinator, Mr. Tejan Koroma, assured the Islamic Development Bank, the Lives and Livelihoods Fund and other participants that all recommendations made during the workshop would be carefully reviewed by the project team. He further assured the financiers that project activities would be aligned with the Feed Salone initiative and the Medium-Term National Development Plan.

Discussions during the workshop focused on several technical and operational areas, including financial management, gender equality and women’s empowerment, climate adaptation, strategic alignment and project communication.

Participants emphasized the importance of adhering to disbursement and withdrawal procedures, strengthening governance and control systems, promoting inclusiveness and women’s participation, and ensuring transparency and accuracy in project communication and reporting.

The Technical Start-Up Workshop brought together stakeholders from a wide range of sectors, marking a key step toward coordinated and effective implementation of the Livestock and Livelihoods Development Project across the country.