Dr. Henry Musa Kpaka – Minister of Agriculture and Food Security (MAFS) has in a meeting with a cross-section of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in the agricultural sector, signed Service Level Agreement (SLA) for 2026 with seven (7) NGOs valued at Seven Million United States Dollars ($7 Million) – to be implemented over 14 projects.
This laudable event was held on Tuesday 17th February 2026 at MAFS Conference Hall on 1st Floor, Youyi Building in Freetown, and in attendance was the Deputy Ministers, the Senior Permanent Secretary, the Director of Agricultural Extension and NGO Desk Coordinator, and a host of other senior officials of the Ministry.
In his statements, Dr. Henry M. Kpaka informed that the Ministry is keen on transparency and accountability and he called on all to ensure such a meeting is prioritized at every quarter of the year, thereby; expediting different value chains, approaches, and different areas of focus and with the right pillars, strategies and policies.
He furthered by admitting that Sierra Leone as a country, is opened to partnership and disclosing that MAFS areas of focus for 2026 is concerned with storage facilities, rice clusters (with reference to Gbondapie and Tormabom – with grains processing units), entrepreneurship trainings, and the completion of a youth innovation center at Njala, to have in place an agricultural financing scheme, boosting mechanization farming (referencing the need to encourage private sector investment).
On the completion of the youth innovation center, the Minister detailed that the center would have in place poultry, fishponds and classrooms for training of young people on agricultural investments.
With MAFS commitments on boosting mechanization farming, Dr. Kpaka recalled that in 2025 in partnership with the private sector, training was provided to an estimated number of 170 young Sierra Leoneans on flying of drones, driving, operating, maintenance, repair of tractors and harvesters.
In his welcome remarks, Mr. Yayah Mansaray who doubled as Director, Agricultural Extension and NGO Desk Coordinator, applauded the concerned NGOs referring to them as partners committed on transforming the agricultural sector and he further stated that such engagements have been ongoing and that the SLA signing is part of the accountability framework established across sectors within the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development (MoPED) showcasing, the level of monitoring on funds received on behalf of the people of Sierra Leone and to also tell exactly what is being implemented by the 7 NGOs with 14 projects at hand – with Seven Million United States Dollars ($ 7M).
