RSLAF Purchases 9,000 Bags of Made-in-Sierra Leone Rice for Soldiers

The Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF) has purchased more than 9,000 bags of locally produced rice as part of a new agreement signed on Friday with the Ministry of Agriculture aimed at institutionalizing the procurement of domestic food supplies for military feeding.

The signing ceremony took place at the Kobia Store in Kambia District, where approximately 10,000 bags of rice have been stored for two years under the Food Systems Resilience Programme (FSRP) as a strategic grain reserve for crisis situations.

Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Henry Musa Kpaka, said the Memorandum of Understanding transforms the Strategic Grain Reserve into a stronger market for Sierra Leonean farmers.

“Today, we have no crisis, and that is why we are signing an agreement that allows the government to purchase the rice for the military, so that the money will go back to farmers to scale up production,” Minister Kpaka said.

He confirmed that as a first step, the military has purchased 9,000 50-kilogram bags at a competitive price.

“This means three things: farmers get a market, our rice reserves are rotated, and the military imports less rice,” the Minister said. “That is how we build a stronger domestic food system—produce more, buy local, and keep value in Sierra Leone.”

Deputy Minister of Defence, Colonel (Rtd.) Muana Brima Massaquoi, revealed that RSLAF has cultivated approximately 1,000 hectares this year, as the military aims to minimize rice imports for its feeding operations.

“We can feed ourselves. It is a challenge, but through Feed Salone, we are determined to achieve it,” he said.

Under the agreement, FSRP will continue supporting smallholder farmers through the Ministry of Agriculture to boost domestic production. The initiative aligns with the government’s broader Feed Salone campaign to enhance food self-sufficiency.

The purchase marks a significant step in reducing the military’s reliance on imported rice while providing direct market access for local farmers and ensuring the rotation of the country’s strategic reserves.