Freetown, October 2025 — The Sierra Leone Chamber for Agribusiness Development (SLeCAD) has released an update on the country’s major crop value chains, emphasizing their importance to national food security, rural livelihoods, and agribusiness investment. The Chamber noted that Sierra Leone’s key crops—rice, cassava, cocoa, coffee, cashew, palm oil, and vegetables—remain central to economic development and hold significant potential for expansion with the right policy and private sector support.
According to SLeCAD, rice remains the most widely consumed staple and a top priority for national self-sufficiency efforts. Boosting domestic production through improved seeds, irrigation, and mechanization could reduce heavy import dependency and strengthen food system resilience. Cassava, another major crop, continues to offer opportunities for value-added processing into flour, chips, and industrial products.
Export crops such as cocoa, coffee, and cashew were highlighted for their growing demand in the international market. SLeCAD encouraged investment in quality improvement, certification programs, and farmer training to increase export competitiveness. The Chamber noted that supporting smallholder farmers with better market access and extension services would significantly improve yields and incomes.
In addition, palm oil and horticultural crops were identified as fast-growing sectors that can drive job creation, especially for youth and women in rural communities. Increased investment in processing, storage, and aggregation centers would help reduce post-harvest losses and expand market linkages nationwide.
SLeCAD reaffirmed its commitment to working with government, development partners, and private sector actors to strengthen these crop value chains. By promoting innovation, financing, and agribusiness partnerships, the Chamber aims to unlock new growth opportunities and position agriculture as a key pillar of Sierra Leone’s economic transformation.
