Sierra Leone: Reduce Foodstuff Importation, Says ActionAid
Ibrahim Tarawallie
Concord Times via AllAfrica
May 1, 2008
Country director ActionAid Sierra Leone Tuesday said there was need for the country to reduce the importation of foodstuffs, especially rice, which is the country's staple food.
Speaking at a one-day stakeholders' conference on commercializing agricultural investment in Sierra Leone, Tennyson Williams said more emphasis should be laid on local rice production in the country.
He said current increase in the prices of staple food undermine pragmatic government spending, adding, "it is about time we transformed our ideas into good use." He expressed fear that "if we do not solve the problem now, what we see happening in other parts of the continent will have a devastating effect on our economy." A representative from the ministry of agriculture, forestry and food security, Sanusi Deen said his ministry has put in place structures that would address the problem of agriculture in the country.
"We need to put our words into actions so that we can see tangible results. We need to be positive in whatever we do," he suggested.
He said the global trend of increased food prices has been a matter of serious concern adding that, "there is a need for us to start producing our own staple food, which is rice." He added: "The agricultural sector needs to be transformed into a more active mechanized one. The government is working assiduously in achieving that goal."
