The National Family Farmers Validation meeting by the Family Farming Platform, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and other partners, ended Thursday 24th April 2025 at the Pastoral Center, New Gerihun Road, Bo City.
The main aim of Family Farming (FF) is to reduce poverty among family farmers who account for over 70 percent of the food produced in the world.
The over 40 participants included representatives from the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Njala University, World Food Program, Helen Keller International, the media, GIZ, CSOs, private sector, City and District Councils, WHH and farmers were in attendance.
In 2021, the Family Farming Platform/NCFF, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (MAFS), with support from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the European Union, through the World Rural Forum, developed and launched the National Action Plan of the United Nations Decade of Family Farming in Sierra Leone.
Currently, the National Implementation Plan for the Action Plan is being developed, but in addition, there is need to discuss and agree on the modalities for the sustainable implementation of the Family Farming Initiative in Sierra Leone.
The Focal Person for the United Nations Decade of Family Farming, who is also the National Coordinator of Family Farming Platform in Sierra Leone, Mr. Frank Webber noted that Sierra Leone is yet to develop its Implementation Plan that will be done by the Family Farming Platform Sierra Leone in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.
2014 was declared as the International Year of Family Farming. He informed the audiences that there was a call for a declaration of a Decade for Family Farmers by regional committees in the world. But there are challenges to get where we are today since 2016 when the International Year of Family Farming was declared by the United Nations after the 2017 meeting in Uganda where the world in e declare the Decard of where we are today since 2016 when the ote demanded the United Nations to declare the Decade of FF.
Mr. Webber also informed that the Food and Agriculture Organization and the International Fund for Agricultural Development came up with the Global Action Plan lamenting that much is not happening now at the national level in spite of the global support from partners.
Family Farming is more than just a means of livelihood; it is a tradition that connects farmers to the land, strengthens communities and ensures that the wealth of the soil serves the people who nurture it. Across Sierra Leone, families work tirelessly on small plots, producing the rice, cassava, vegetables and other staples that sustain mankind and as stakeholders underscored, the dedication of Family Farmers drives the markets, feeds households and provides hope for a brighter tomorrow.
However, as Sierra Leone celebrates the resilience of Family Farmers, the nation must also acknowledge the challenges it faces such as limited access to modern tools, climate change, high costs of seeds and fertilizers, poor infrastructure and the lack of access to fair markets that are hurdles hindering progress for far too long. These challenges threaten not only the livelihoods of farmers but also the food security of the entire nation.
IFAD and FAO, in close partnership with other UN agencies, development partners and the government of the Republic of Sierra Leone, is working tirelessly to strengthen the capacity of farmers by improving access to modern tools and training, infrastructure, fair market, access to finance and maintaining climate smart agriculture approaches.
Furthermore, Family Farming is not just an investment in agriculture—it is an investment in our shared future. Together, we can create a Sierra Leone where no family goes hungry, where every farmer thrives and where our agricultural potential uplifts in the country.
The government of Sierra Leone has assured its support to Family Farming by supporting the private sector and other stakeholders to actualize its Feed Salone Project, called on all to be Ambassadors of the Feed Salone Project as bassadors of on all to be ace the initiative.generate foreigh exchange FF is not a new concept in the country.
The Feed Salone Initiative by the government of Sierra Leone is aimed at producing enough foodstuffs for local consumption and export to generate foreign exchange.
Mr. Frank Webber further revealed that FF is practiced in Sierra Leone at all levels, that the United Nations had declared the Decade of Family Farming and developed the Global Action Plan informing that the Global Action Plan requested for 100 National/Regional Action Plans to be developed in the world.
According to Mr. Webber, Sierra Leone has developed its National Action Plans, the second in West Africa to do so after The Gambia, disclosing that Brazil is the major player in the FF followed by Spain and Azerbaijan, and concluding that Family Farmers are the backbone of economic growth and stability in Sierra Leone.
Dr. Joseph Mbavai served as one of the key facilitators in partnership with the National Coordinator.
PowerPoint presentations were also made by Dr. Joseph Mbavai on the Origin of UNDFF in Sierra Leone and how it was established, the Sierra Leone National Implementation Plan and Key Challenges for Implementation.
Highlights of the workshop were group work and presentations on the benefits of engaging in UNDAFF initiatives to MAFS and to Family farmers in Sierra Leone, plenary: group reporting on the way forward on strategic decisions and action points, decisions on the need for policy (ies) to enable FF to become a permanent feature of the MAFS establishment, decisions on the establishment of the requisite institutional frameworks for monitoring and supervision of Family Farming Initiatives in the country, identification of MAFS partner organizations for the execution of the Family Farming Implementation Plan and UN Decade of Family Farming Initiative and National Action Plan in Sierra Leone. ure of the MAFFrming to become permanent ons on the benefits of engaging in ,rt and implications for
Other key stakeholders also made salient statements.
