Agriculture Ministry Secures 10,000 Bags of Rice for Strategic Grain Reserve in Kambia
Valentine Benjamin Conteh The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security has secured more than 10,000 bags of locally produced rice at the Strategic Grain Reserve in Kobia, Kambia District.
Agriculture Minister Dr. Henry Musa Kpaka, who visited the site on Friday, said the move is part of efforts to build a reliable buffer stock to protect the country against food shortages, price fluctuations, and emergencies.
He added that sourcing rice from local farmers and processors has helped reduce cross-border smuggling and created structured markets for producers.
The grain reserve is being developed under the World Bank-funded Food System Resilience Program (FSRP) and forms a key part of the government’s Feed Salone initiative.
Looking ahead, the Ministry plans to establish a 4,000 MT integrated silo system in Gbondapi, Pujehun District, which will serve as a rice processing hub and storage center. A proposed Food Reserve Authority will be tasked with managing the system and ensuring sustainable operations.
The initiative is also intended to strengthen Sierra Leone’s contribution to the ECOWAS Regional Food Reserve System.