Sierra Leone, February 2024
Sierra Leone National Rice Development Strategy 2 Concept Note Formulation Working Week
The second-generation National Rice Development Strategy (NRDS2) of Sierra Leone was validated in January 2023. Following this significant milestone, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (MAFS) with the support of CARD organized a working week for the formulation of investment proposals towards the implementation of the NRDS2.
Prior to the workshop, the NRDS focal point and the CARD Regional Consultant paid two-day sensitization visits to some stakeholders in Freetown especially development partners (DPs) and banks with the aim of finding out their areas of interest for support in the rice value chain. The DPs and banks visited include UNDP, GIZ, WFP, WB and AfDB. The regional consultant shared the objective of the concept notes formulation workshop with them. The team received inputs on their areas of interest for intervention along the rice value chain. The intervention areas will be focused on in the formulation of concepts notes by the task force team.
The working week for the formulation of concept notes took place from January 29 to February 3, 2024 at the Sierra Palm Resort Freetown with eighteen (18) participants representing various sectors including the public and private sector, academia and farmer’s organization. In order to develop concept notes that will address holistically challenges of the rice sector, some of the participants highlighted the importance of prioritizing the seed system while others underscore the need for a robust mechanization strategy. Additionally, participants argued for a comprehensive focus on addressing challenges within the processing sector.
After extensive brainstorming over four working-days, the participants working in groups of four diligently worked on developing eight (8) concept notes including budget estimates. The concept notes include: i) Reduction of post-harvest losses for increase rice seed productivity; ii) Enhancing the production of high yielding and resilient seed varieties for increase rice productivity; iii) Improving infrastructure to increase the production and productivity of rice; iv) Strengthening of rice Farmers Based Organizations (FBOs) through the dissemination of Technical Package on Rice (TP-R) production methodology; v) Strengthening of the public and private research system; vi) Establishment of agricultural mechanization hubs in fourteen districts; vii) Improving community based inland valley swamps irrigation system for increased rice production and productivity; and viii) Improving Agricultural Research infrastructures for sustainable rice technologies generation.
The developed concept notes by each of the groups were presented to the wider house for comments culminating in broader contribution and feedback. Moving forward, all the groups were tasked with revising their work based on the comments received, ensuring a collective and refined approach to addressing gaps in the Sierra Leone rice sector.
The National Rice Development Strategy Monitoring and Evaluation Kick Off Meeting
The kick-off meeting of the NRDS M&E marked the culmination of the working week. The CARD’s Regional Consultant and the Monitoring and Evaluation Consultant provided a comprehensive presentation on the objective of the M&E process, emphasizing its critical role in the tracking of the development of the rice sector.
The consultants introduced the M&E tool to the participants containing the CARD 13 standard indicators designed to measure and assess various aspect of the rice sector’s progress. Participating virtually the M&E consultant elucidated the definitions of the various indicators to the participants. The participants identified the sources for secondary data collection to establish the baseline figures. On the other hand, the regional consultant provided guidance on the methodology for the data collection using the word file prepared by the CARD Secretariat.
The discussions also delved into the Annual Rice Sector Review Meeting (ARSRM) where the regional consultant outlined its significance and its dependency on the baseline study results.
As a way forward, the focal point was mandated by the team to finalize the NRDS2 concept notes and present the same to the ministry, while the team will work to ensure that the secondary data are collected for the establishment of the M&E baseline figures after which the date for the ARSRM will be set.
