Agriculture Ministry Projects $5.9 Million Ceiling For FY 2026
By John Kelly Marah
Freetown, Sierra Leone —
The Ministry of Agriculture has announced that it is projecting a total concession amount of Le115,548,100 for the Fiscal Year 2026. At current exchange rates, this amounts to approximately USD $5.9 million — a ceiling that signals the government’s renewed focus on revitalising the agriculture sector under its flagship Feed Salone initiative.
The projected concession is part of a broader national fiscal framework outlined in the Ministry of Finance’s FY 2026–2028 Budget Proposal, which prioritizes agriculture, infrastructure, and governance reform as central to Sierra Leone’s development agenda.
Targeted Agricultural Investments
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the $5.9 million in projected spending will be channeled into key areas, including:
Enhancing production capacity, especially in priority agro-ecological zones;
Improving infrastructure such as feeder roads, irrigation networks, and storage facilities to reduce post-harvest losses;
Strengthening market linkages and supply chains to enable farmers to access domestic and regional markets;
Supporting women and youth engagement in agribusiness through training, access to finance, and cooperatives.
Feed Salone and Long-Term Budget Commitments
The Feed Salone programme, launched by the Bio administration, is designed to reduce Sierra Leone’s dependence on imported food, enhance food security, and create employment in rural areas. It is projected to cost USD $1.6 billion by 2028, with a reported funding gap of $116.6 million for 2024 alone.
In the 2026–2028 Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF), agriculture is expected to receive approximately 4.3% of non-salary, non-interest recurrent expenditure. Additionally, a minimum of 10% of the national budget is to be allocated to the Agricultural Development Fund by 2026, up from the current 7%, in line with government commitments under the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP).
Part of this funding will be sourced from earmarked revenues under the new Finance Act, including a 5% tax on goods and services, as well as royalties from the extractives sector.
Ministry of Finance Emphasizes Fiscal Alignment
The Ministry of Finance has also issued a 2026 Budget Call Circular, directing all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to fully integrate national priorities into their funding requests. Agriculture was explicitly listed as a “priority sector” alongside education, energy, and governance reforms.
As part of the FY 2025 allocation process, the Ministry of Agriculture received Le103.3 billion (about USD $5.2 million), with Le747.2 million directed specifically toward Feed Salone components. The 2026 projection of $5.9 million represents a modest increase, potentially reflecting ongoing negotiations with donors and internal reallocations within the national budget.
Implementation, Transparency Remain Key
Development analysts welcomed the announcement of the projected concession ceiling, but emphasized the importance of efficient implementation and timely disbursement of funds.
“It’s not just about how much is projected,” said one budget policy expert. “It’s about whether those funds are released on time — especially ahead of the planting seasons — and whether they reach the intended beneficiaries.”
Donors and stakeholders have previously raised concerns about delays in fund disbursement, poor coordination among MDAs, and capacity gaps at local government level.
The Ministry of Agriculture has committed to regular monitoring and evaluation of Feed Salone programmes, and is reportedly working with international partners to strengthen transparency, procurement, and reporting systems.
