AfDB Approves $2.25 Million to Boost Agricultural Productivity in Sierra Leone
The African Development Bank Group’s Board of Directors has approved a $2.25 million financing package to enhance agricultural productivity and food security in Sierra Leone through the Fostering Africa’s Agricultural Productivity through Fertilizer Value Chain Financing (FOSTER) project.
Implemented by Welthungerhilfe, the initiative aims to improve smallholder farmers’ access to quality fertilisers via innovative credit and guarantee schemes. The support package includes a $1.5 million Partial Credit Guarantee from the Africa Fertilizer Financing Mechanism (AFFM), a $700,000 grant for soil health management, and $50,000 in-kind support from Welthungerhilfe. Together, these resources are projected to mobilise around $9 million in private financing, enabling the distribution of 9,500 metric tonnes of fertiliser to over 126,000 farmers—of whom 40% are women and 10% are youth.
Despite its vast agricultural potential, Sierra Leone’s fertiliser usage remains low at just 12.8 kg per hectare, far below the 131 kg per hectare recommended under the Nairobi Declaration. The FOSTER project seeks to reverse this trend by driving productivity, building resilience, and reducing dependence on rice imports, which surpassed 351,000 tonnes in 2021.
“The FOSTER project represents a strategic and timely intervention to address one of the most critical constraints to agricultural development in Sierra Leone. By mitigating risks across the fertiliser value chain and strengthening the enabling environment, we are laying the foundation for sustainable growth, enabling smallholder farmers to enhance their productivity and improve their livelihoods,” said Halima Hashi, African Development Bank Country Manager.
Under the credit guarantee facility, Apex Bank, Rokel Commercial Bank, Ecobank Sierra Leone, and Safe Capital Microfinance will extend credit to fertiliser suppliers and agro-dealers. Additionally, the project will work with the National Fertilizer Regulatory Agency to support environmentally sustainable and gender-sensitive fertiliser policies, create an agro-dealers database, and strengthen regulatory frameworks.
The initiative will also promote good agricultural practices through soil testing, 100 demonstration plots, and training for over 126,000 farmers across the districts of Bo, Kenema, Pujehun, and Kono.
With its targeted support for women and youth, the FOSTER project contributes directly to the Bank’s priorities of improving access to finance and transforming Africa’s demographic dividend. Fertiliser application rates are expected to rise from 2.8 kg to 35 kg per hectare, increasing yields of key crops such as rice, onions, tomatoes, and soybeans by up to 30%.
Spanning December 2025 to November 2028, the three-year project underscores the African Development Bank’s ongoing commitment to building inclusive, resilient, and sustainable agricultural sectors across Africa.
