The World Bank has approved an additional $18.34 million grant to help Sierra Leone strengthen biodiversity protection, environmental sustainability, and climate change resilience. The funding, provided through the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF) under the Global Environment Facility (GEF), will expand activities under Phase 2 of the West Africa Food System Resilience Program (FSRP), with a strong focus on Nature-Based Solutions (NBS). The new financing will support integrated landscape management, biodiversity conservation, and climate-sensitive interventions aimed at improving food security and protecting vulnerable ecosystems.
The project will invest in research, innovation, and community capacity building to promote climate-smart agricultural practices and encourage the adoption of NBS. It will also fund local-level initiatives to restore degraded landscapes and strengthen community resilience against climate-related risks. According to Abdu Muwonge, World Bank Country Manager for Sierra Leone, this grant will help the country better adapt to the growing threats of climate change by promoting sustainable agriculture and building a more resilient food system.
Originally launched in 2022, the FSRP is a regional initiative designed to enhance food system resilience and reduce food insecurity across West Africa. With a total Multiphase Programmatic Approach (MPA) envelope of $1.17 billion, the program supports eight countries—Burkina Faso, Chad, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo—alongside regional institutions such as ECOWAS, CILSS, and CORAF. Following this latest approval, Sierra Leone’s total FSRP financing now amounts to $153.34 million.
Adetunji Oredipe, World Bank Senior Agriculture Economist and Task Team Leader, noted that the additional financing will accelerate Sierra Leone’s shift toward a sustainable agri-food system. It will help restore degraded lands, reduce greenhouse gas emissions through improved farming techniques, and expand the project’s reach to more communities. The initiative forms part of a blended IDA-GEF project led by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and other agencies involved in watershed management.
Aligned with Sierra Leone’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) and National Adaptation Plan (NAP), the new financing reinforces the government’s commitment to tackling climate change while promoting sustainable development and environmental protection for future generations.
