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The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (MAFS) has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the development of agricultural insurance policies and financing mechanisms aimed at strengthening Sierra Leone’s agricultural sector and protecting farmers from production-related risks.
The commitment was reiterated during a one-day Agricultural Insurance Workshop convened on Monday, 1 June 2026, at the Bintumani Hotel in Freetown by the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) in partnership with MAFS and other stakeholders, with support from the European Union.
The workshop was organized to support the ongoing policy formulation process for agricultural insurance in Sierra Leone. It brought together key stakeholders from across the agriculture, finance and insurance sectors to discuss opportunities, challenges and practical approaches for expanding agricultural insurance coverage nationwide while drawing lessons from the experiences of other countries.
Representing the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Henry Musa Kpaka, the Director of the Planning, Evaluation, Monitoring and Statistics Division (PEMSD), Umaru Sankoh, said the Ministry remains committed to developing policies and mechanisms that enhance access to agricultural finance.
According to Sankoh, the initiative aligns with Pillar Four of the Government’s Feed Salone Agenda, which focuses on strengthening agricultural financing systems and creating an enabling environment for sustainable agricultural growth.
During the workshop, participants examined how agricultural insurance products operate, the various risks they are designed to cover, and the role they can play in helping farmers manage the effects of climate change, pest infestations, crop diseases and other agricultural production shocks.
Discussions also explored the potential of agricultural insurance to encourage investment in the sector, improve farmers’ resilience to unforeseen losses and support long-term agricultural productivity and sustainability.
Stakeholders further considered practical strategies for increasing insurance penetration among farmers and ensuring that insurance products are accessible, affordable and responsive to the needs of agricultural producers across the country.
The event attracted representatives from government ministries and agencies, financial service providers, insurance companies, development partners, farmer-based organizations and other institutions involved in the development of Sierra Leone’s agricultural sector.
Organizers noted that strengthening agricultural insurance systems is considered an important component of efforts to reduce vulnerabilities within the sector and support the broader objectives of the Feed Salone Transformation Agenda.
The workshop forms part of ongoing efforts by the Government of Sierra Leone and its development partners to explore innovative financing and risk-management solutions aimed at improving agricultural productivity, protecting farmers’ livelihoods and promoting food security nationwide.
