Sierra Leone and five other West African countries launched a $5 million Rice Investment Facility on the sidelines of the Africa Food Systems Forum 2026, hosted in Kigali, Rwanda.

The launch took place during the Rice Financing Roundtable, themed “Scaling Innovative Finance for Competitive Rice Value Chains.” Sierra Leone was represented by Chief Minister Dr. David Moinina Sengeh, who joined counterparts from the participating countries. The event highlighted Kigali’s growing role as a convening point for continental dialogue on food security and agricultural transformation.

Sierra Leone’s Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Musa Kpaka, outlined opportunities for private sector participation in the Facility, alongside the country’s development partners.

During the discussions, the Economic Community of West African States Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) committed $100 million to kickstart the fund. The African Development Bank (AfDB), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the World Bank, and other partners also pledged support through their respective instruments, while others offered technical assistance.

Chief Minister Sengeh noted that the Government of Sierra Leone is investing about $100 million in Rice Zones and agro-processing clusters. He added that road access has been expanded and bridges built to connect farms to markets, and that government policies provide incentives and concessions for companies investing in the sector.

He also used the occasion to invite partners to the West Africa Integration and Investment Summit, scheduled for November in Sierra Leone.