Sierra Leone is endowed with favourable climatic conditions with diverse agro-ecological areas suitable for a wide variety of crops. Agriculture is considered as an important sector of Sierra Leone’s economy and constitutes a key Government priority.  Still despites of these assets, the sector is facing several challenges and constraints, undermining expected results and pro-poor growth, notably in rural areas. Unsustainable agriculture practices, limited input supply and management as well as post-harvest losses are certainly important aspects that need to be addressed in order to tap into Sierra Leone‘s potential to meet internal and external market demands. Agro-technology and innovation development could possibly provide some cost effective and efficient solution to…

On the 5th of May 2021, interested applicants for the European Union Delegation to Sierra Leone’s Agro-Technology grants attended an information session to learn more about the initiative. The information session was held via Zoom and was well attended by over 200 interested applicants. Key takeaways from the information session included additional information on eligibility, allotments of funding, and important deadlines. Approximately 108 questions were asked pre-and during the session, which was recorded and answered accordingly by EU Delegation staff. The EU Delegation has also announced a deadline extension for the Agro-Technology call for concept note proposals deadline, which is now the 15th of June 2021, at 22:00 GMT. A…

Agriculture is a key source of income and a major driver for economic growth in West Africa. In countries with high demographic growth and vast farmlands, like Sierra Leone, technology innovation has become increasingly important for social and economic development.  The European Union (EU) is committed to supporting countries in their transition towards a modern, resource-efficient and competitive economy. The Agro-tech initiative recently launched in Sierra Leone aims at promoting green and circular economic growth. Similar experiences in neighbouring countries, like Ghana, have demonstrated exponential social and economic benefits and advancements. EU agro-tech initiatives in Ghana contributed boosting Ghana’s agriculture industry by promoting new technologies and sustainable practices, aiding the nation in…

Agriculture is a critical component of West Africa’s economy, a region composed of a variety of ecosystems that provide suitable land for food production. For decades, Sierra Leone has however seen a steady decline in agricultural sustainability and innovation due to outdated agricultural practices, land degradation and climate change. Despite its abundance of favorable natural resources including its tropical climate and heavy rainfall, Sierra Leone has as a result become one of the region’s most economically endangered countries. Sierra Leone enjoys a diverse environment with suitable land for the cultivation of a wide range of food and commercial crops as well as for livestock production. The agricultural sector accounts for…

WOMEN HOLD UP HALF THE SKY The effects of global warming are now very glaring and cannot be ignored. We can see the increase in natural disasters, increased heat, drought and insect outbreaks, all linked to climate change, with increased wildfires, declining water supplies, reduced agricultural yields, health impacts in cities due to heat, and flooding and erosion in coastal areas are additional concerns.  Humans have been the leading cause of these negative effects, it has taken the concerted efforts of climate change activists, environmental leaders and innovators to help raise awareness and suggest solutions to all. One changemaker that is contributing to this effort is an outstanding  female entrepreneur. She is a…

This call for proposals under the Agro-Technology development Initiative is launched by the European Union Delegation to Sierra Leone. It is a uniquely competitive opportunity being offered to Sierra Leonean organizations and SMEs seeking to develop and/or expand sustainable agro-processing and agribusiness innovation and technology. A variety of funding support aimed at enhancing sustainable agro-industry development is available. Award amounts will range from EUR 100,000 to EUR 2,000,000.  Historically, financial systems in West Africa have had hesitancy in providing financial support and guidance to agriculture SMEs. With the European Union’s support, financial inclusion will encourage and strengthen the potential of digital financial services at macro, meso and micro levels notably…

Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it – Maya Angelou Haja Isatu Bah is a young and dynamic Sierra Leonean woman. She is an Environmental studies student and is planning a public health career in the future. Born and raised in Sierra Leone, she got a scholarship to study at United World College, Red Cross Nordic, where she got her International Baccalaureate (IB diploma) and a Davis scholarship to study Environmental Studies at Skidmore College New York. Haja appears to be very passionate about issues affecting women, especially women’s health. She stepped into  the world of entrepreneurship in 2019 when she challenged herself to…

As more and more people venture into entrepreneurship, the race to develop and launch businesses to create impact, employment, and profit becomes more bold and brutal. The underlying problems for many would-be-entrepreneurs lies in entering saturated markets with a not-so-unique product or with businesses that are similar to the competition and without any clear competitive advantage, which arguably leaves consumers indecisive. The only other solution many entrepreneurs have is to engage in capital intensive projects, that are not easily copied by the competition. Unfortunately, in low-income countries like ours, where access to capital is a huge deal, this is not an advisable route to take. In a bid to highlight…