The UN’s International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Government of Sierra Leone have signed a financing agreement to launch the Livestock and Livelihoods Development Project (LLDP).This initiative aims to uplift nearly half a million people in rural farm communities by reducing poverty, enhancing food security and improving nutrition. With an eight-year timeline and total funding of US$105.5 million—of which IFAD will contribute US$30 million through a grant— the LLDP will directly benefit approximately 373,500 people engaged in family farming. Funding support also includes contributions of roughly US$60 million from the Islamic Development Bank and the OPEC Fund for International Development.  The project prioritizes rural women and youth, creating employment opportunities and focusing on equitable access to farming resources.

In Sierra Leone, where agriculture drives 59% of GDP and employs 62% of the population, the Ebola outbreak in 2014 severely impacted farm productivity and livelihoods. Although rice dominates the agricultural landscape livestock farming is limited to semi-nomadic herders, making poultry the most widely owned farm animal.

The LLDP aims to change this by increasing the productivity of 62,500 smallholder livestock farmers while empowering women, youth and persons with disabilities to participate fully in livestock value chains. Women in agriculture often have less access than men to necessities like seeds and equipment. At least 40 per cent of project beneficiaries will be women, 30 per cent youth, and five per cent individuals with disabilities. Closing the gender gap in farm productivity and the wage gap in agriculture would increase global GDP by one per cent, or nearly US$1 trillion.

“The Livestock and Livelihoods Development Project support smallholder livestock production to improve incomes and nutrition, while also advancing the Government’s efforts in transforming the sector and reducing poverty and reducing hunger in rural communities,” said Bernard Hien, IFAD’s Regional Director for West and Central Africa.

Beyond investment in Livestock production and productivity the LLDP also aims to boost market access for smallholder farmers while enhancing the institutional and policy environment for investment in the livestock sector. This will be achieved through training, capacity-building initiatives, and establishing cooperative structures, the project strengths the resilience to economic shocks and climate change impacts for rural households.

“We are grateful for the continued support from IFAD,” said the Minister for Agriculture and Food Security, Henry Musa Kpaka. “The LLDP is a flagship project in the livestock sector. This partnership will benefit Sierra Leone’s economy by providing essential sources of livelihood for our farmers, particularly women and youth, enhancing nutritional status and increasing income for many families, especially in rural areas. I am certain that this alliance will significantly contribute to achieving Sierra Leone’s broader agricultural and economic objectives, including food security, rural development, poverty reduction, and the creation of sustainable jobs for the growing population.

Since 1980, IFAD has supported 10 projects in Sierra Leone, investing US$216.2 million and benefiting over 547,500 rural households.

Source - https://farmersreviewafrica.com