In Sierra Leone, rice is a staple food, with many unable to go a day without it. However, the country is grappling with soaring rice prices, which has led to an increase in food insecurity. According to experts, the rise in prices is the result of an overdependence on imports, responsible for about 35% of the country’s rice consumption and requiring about $200 million of foreign currency every year. Sierra Leone’s government intends to change this status quo and has announced plans to work towards food self-sufficiency. To that end, it has raised over $620 million of a projected $1.8 billion to revitalize local rice production. While experts have lauded the project as “ambitious,” challenges remain, including inadequate infrastructure and climate change. Critics have also pointed out that the plan may benefit large agribusinesses at the expense of small-scale farmers, mirroring failed projects in other West African nations.
SOURCE: VOA NEWS