By Ellen Samura

The World Food Programme (WFP) in partnership with the government and local authorities have turned the sod for the construction of a new infant food processing facility in Makarie village, Bombali district.

The facility is being developed under WFP’s strengthened agricultural value-chain through infant nutrition for growth (SAVING) project, an €11.5 million four-year EU-funded programme aimed at strengthening local production of safe, affordable and fortified complementary foods for children aged 6-23 months, while creating new market opportunities for smallholder farmers and women-led businesses.

Once completed, the facility will process about 200 metric tonnes of nutritious food each year, with more than 25,000 people, including over 8,000 farmers, benefitting from the wider programme. It will include automated packaging systems, food safety infrastructure, off-grid solar power and solar-powered water facilities.

The SAVING project will build on community-based complementary food production initiatives in Pujehun, Moyamba and Kambia districts, while supporting the production and commercialisation of fortified foods through women-led enterprises. It also links smallholder farmers producing nutritious crops to local food processing and improved infant and young child feeding practices.

WFP says the approach will strengthen local food systems while creating a more nutrition-sensitive and resilient agricultural value chain.

The development has been welcomed by the chiefdom authorities, paramount chief Bai Makarie Nkolo II, who pledged to give it his fullest support.

Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony, WFP country director Andrew Odero said the project is aimed at improving access to nutritious and affordable complementary foods for young children.

“This is the history of Nyam Nyam pap,” Odero said, explaining that the new facility is building on existing experience rather than starting from scratch.

He added that the design of the Makarie facility was informed by lessons learned from four existing complementary food processing facilities.

Prof. Abdulai Jalloh, the government’s chief agriculture officer, said the facility would create new markets for smallholder farmers, while building on similar processing initiatives established by WFP in other parts of the country.

Mayor Abubakarr Kamara of Makeni city also encouraged residents to embrace the project, saying it could promote greater economic opportunities and create jobs, particularly for young people.

Following the groundbreaking ceremony, participants visited the proposed facility site and received presentations on the planned production process, food safety systems, solar power and water infrastructure.

Farmer organisations also displayed nutritious crops expected to feed into the processing value chain, while health workers and mother support groups demonstrated infant and young child feeding practices and the use of locally produced complementary foods.

When completed, the facility will support efforts to tackle child malnutrition while creating economic opportunities for rural communities in Sierra Leone.

The project is also expected to give women-led enterprises and smallholder farmers a stronger role in the production and supply of locally made nutritious foods for young children.