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SUN &Food Systems Coordination Unit, Office of the Vice President, Vice President Office Tower Hill, Freetown (2025)

20/11/2025

SUN AND FOOD SYSTEM COORDINATION UNIT, OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT, ENGAGES LAWMAKERS ON BUDGET NUTRITION-RESPONSIVE
SLBC's Ibrahim Samura reports

19/11/2025

On 12 November 2025, the SUN & Food Systems Coordination Unit in the Office of the VP, in close collaboration with the Parliamentary Nutrition Caucus led by Hon. Daniel Koroma, was proud to host Members of Parliament for a focused engagement on Investing in Nutrition. The objective was to update Parliament on Government’s progress, reinforce the importance of nutrition for national development, and strengthen collaboration around Sierra Leone’s long-term vision.

🌱 Why We Met: Nutrition Powers Development
Nutrition strengthens learning, productivity, and economic growth. Africa loses up to 16.5% of GDP to undernutrition — undermining national competitiveness and human capital. This is why nutrition remains central to Feed Salone, the Big Five Agenda, and our development trajectory.

💰 Nutrition Is Smart Economics
With tight fiscal space and declining global aid, Government must prioritise high-impact investments — and nutrition stands out. With every $1 invested yielding up to $23 in returns, nutrition offers one of the strongest ROIs in the public sector. When we talk about value for money, fiscal efficiency, and high-impact spending, few investments rank as highly as nutrition.

📈 Government Progress Shared with MPs
We highlighted two major advances this year:
• Government adopted 11 National Nutrition Commitments (2025–2030) — a unified, multisectoral roadmap launched by the Honourable Vice President; and
• All MDAs were asked to include and tag nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive investments in their FY2026 submissions, through a process jointly led by the Ministry of Finance and SUNFSCU. These steps are making nutrition more visible, prioritised, and better positioned for sustained domestic financing.
We appreciate the Members of Parliament who took the time to join us. Their engagement reflects Parliament’s continued commitment to national development and to improving wellbeing in communities across Sierra Leone.

Gratitude to the Hon. Manty Tarawalli, Minister of State – Office of the Vice President for her powerful keynote remarks; the Parliamentary Nutrition Caucus Chair Hon. Daniel Koroma; UNICEF Sierra Leone and HKI Country Representatives; the Ministry of Finance; our MDA colleagues who presented during the session; UNICEF for supporting this engagement.

08/10/2025

🌾 Strengthening Nutrition and Food Systems Coordination in Sierra Leone

Yesterday, the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) & Food Systems Coordination Unit (SUN & FS CU) under the Office of the Vice President successfully held a SUN & Food Systems Engagement and Advocacy Workshop in Bombali District.

The event brought together 39 key district stakeholders from Bombali, Tonkolili, and Kerene Districts, including representatives from district councils, health, education, agriculture, civil society organizations, and community leaders. The workshop also had the presence of representatives from Freetown, including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Food and Nutrition (DFN).

The program was supported by UN Nutrition, reaffirming its commitment to strengthening nutrition governance and coordination in Sierra Leone.

During the session, the Web of Nutrition was demonstrated to participants — showcasing how nutrition is interconnected across multiple sectors, including health, agriculture, education, water and sanitation, and social protection. This practical illustration helped participants understand the importance of multisectoral collaboration in achieving improved nutrition outcomes.

The workshop aimed to:
✅ Promote a shared understanding of multisectoral approaches to nutrition and food systems.
✅ Share national updates on Sierra Leone’s nutrition commitments and data systems.
✅ Strengthen coordination among district stakeholders and SUN networks.
✅ Inspire local success stories in food production and nutrition.
✅ Build district capacity for nutrition and food systems advocacy and transformation.

The session was chaired by the Chairman of the Bombali District Council, who officially welcomed all participants to Bombali District and commended the initiative for advancing nutrition and food systems transformation across the country.

This engagement is part of a nationwide initiative titled “SUN & Food Systems Engagement Across All Districts in Sierra Leone”, promoting inclusive coordination and stronger local ownership for nutrition and food systems transformation.

👏 Special thanks to all participants and partners, including UN Nutrition (REACH), for their continued support and collaboration.

@ SUNFSCU Communications and Outreach Officer OVP

04/10/2025

Sierra Leone Advances Towards Its First Food System Coordination Strategy

On Tuesday, 16 September 2025, a national working session was convened at the Country Lodge, Freetown, to review and contribute to the drafting of Sierra Leone’s inaugural Food System Coordination Strategy.

The event brought together a diverse range of multi-sectoral stakeholders from government, civil society, the private sector, academia, and development partners, including the United Nations system, with generous support from GIZ.

The workshop opened with prayers from both Muslim and Christian traditions, led by Abibatu Amarah (SUN Focal Person & Gender Officer, Kenema District) and Abdul Swarray (Director, Children’s Advocacy Forum Sierra Leone), symbolizing unity and inclusivity.
The session was formally launched by:
• Claudia Lormann Nsengiyumva, GIZ Coordinator – C4N SUN
• Federico Capurro, EU FNSSA Focal Point
• Manty Tarawali, Minister of State, Office of the Vice President
Speakers underscored the urgency of strengthening coordination in rice production, food transportation, and broader food system actions. They called on all participants to take ownership of the strategy and serve as champions for food systems transformation in Sierra Leone.

The workshop featured presentations from the SUN FSCU Programme Officer and consultants, interactive breakout sessions, and structured feedback tools, ensuring that all voices were heard. Goodwill messages emphasized the importance of gender equality, inclusivity, and nutrition-sensitive approaches.

The session achieved its objectives, producing actionable feedback to refine the draft strategy. This milestone reaffirms the collective commitment of government, partners, and stakeholders to build a robust, inclusive, and sustainable framework for food systems transformation in Sierra Leone.

02/09/2025

*MANTY TARAWALLI DELIVERS KEYNOTE ADDRESS AT THE OFS-UN WOMEN SIDE EVENT ON AFRICA FOOD SYSTEMS*

*Ishmael Bayoh*
*Information Attachè, Sierra Leone Embassy Dakar, Senegal*

Delivering the keynote address on the theme, ‘Empowering Women and Youth in Agriculture Value Chains’ at the side event Co- moderated by UN Women and Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS) at the Africa Food Systems Forum 2025 in Dakar, Minister of State in the Office of the Vice President, Hon. Manty Tarawalli,
shared four key pathways to empower women and youth in agriculture.

She was speaking from her experiences as the National Food Systems Convenor, as a former Minister of Gender, who championed the passage of the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Act; and as the former Executive Director of Marie Stopes Sierra Leone, dedicated to empowering women and young people.

She said across Africa, women make up nearly half of the agricultural workforce, yet are less likely than men to own land, access credit, or benefit from extension services. “If women had the same access to resources, agricultural output could rise by up to 30%, reducing hunger for 150 million people. And because Africa is the youngest continent in the world — by 2050, our youth population will nearly double. This is our greatest opportunity if we invest in their talent, energy, and innovation, they will drive the transformation of Africa’s food systems” she stated.

Drawing evidences from across the world and that of Sierra Leone on Gender-Responsive Policy and Legal Frameworks, Minister Manty recalled in 2022 when Sierra Leone passed the landmark Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE) Act, guaranteeing 30% representation for women in leadership and strengthening access to finance.

“The implementation of this Act has already led to a substantial increase in the number of female lawmakers, more than doubling the previous parliamentary representation. And today, Sierra Leone has more young ministers and more female ministers in Cabinet than ever before”.

Highlighting the Inclusive Food System Models on the Feed Salone flagship initiative which is transforming agriculture from subsistence to agribusiness in Sierra Leone, she revealed that in its first year, it achieved a 35% increase in rice production, moving the country towards 72% self-sufficiency.

In building future leaders in agriculture, Sierra Leone has launched the Sierra Leone Youth Institute with the World Food Prize Foundation. Twenty high school students became the first Borlaug Scholars, presenting bold ideas to tackle global food security.

Speaking on financing and scaling innovative models, she stressed the need for dedicated facilities for women and youth agripreneurs as Agriculture Credit Facility already offers loans at 10% interest — far below market rates of 30–35%.

Sierra Leone being the pilot country in IOFS–UN Women partnership, and as Co-Chair of the global Alliance of Champions for Food Systems Transformation, she reaffirmed government commitment to gender equality, youth empowerment, and food systems transformation.

29/08/2025

Sierra Leone is putting nutrition at the heart of its future!

For the first time ever, the Ministry of Finance has made the national budget nutrition-responsive — a historic milestone for the country. The FY2026 Budget Circular now directs all MDAs to identify and tag nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive interventions.

To drive this reform, a Core Nutrition Financing Team — uniting senior representatives from the Office of the Vice President, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, and Parliament — was trained earlier this year at a Nutrition-Responsive Budgeting Workshop in Kenya, organised by the Global Financing Facility.

👉 And just this month, progress moved to the next level:
On 21st August 2025, SUN & FSCU, in partnership with the Ministry of Finance and with UNICEF’s support, convened Budget Officers from across government at the Office of the Vice President. The session strengthened understanding of nutrition-responsive budgeting, guided MDAs on tagging budget lines, and secured commitments to ensure the FY2026 budget truly reflects nutrition priorities.

This is bold leadership by the Government of Sierra Leone, with SUN driving coordination across sectors and UNICEF providing vital technical and financial support. Together, we are ensuring nutrition is no longer an afterthought, but a pillar of national development.

25/08/2025

Joint District Monitoring Exercise – Port Loko District

On Wednesday , 20th August 2025, the SUN Secretariat and the Food Systems Coordination Unit (FSCU), Office of the Vice President, with support from UN REACH, successfully conducted a Joint District Monitoring Exercise in Port Loko.

The session brought together District Councils, devolved sectors, CSOs, NGOs, media, and key national partners including:
✨ UN Nutrition
✨ Ministry of Local Government
✨ Ministry of Agriculture
✨ Directorate of Food and Nutrition
✨ Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

What we achieved together:
✔️ Reviewed district activities and alignment with national priorities.
✔️ Addressed implementation challenges.
✔️ Showcased best practices and innovative approaches.
✔️ Strengthened collaboration and knowledge sharing.

This milestone engagement reinforced coordination, accountability, and collective action—driving us closer to a healthier and more food-secure Sierra Leone. 🇸🇱

23/08/2025

Joint District Monitoring Exercise – Kambia District

On Tuesday, 19th August 2025, the SUN Secretariat and the Food Systems Coordination Unit (FSCU), Office of the Vice President, with support from UN REACH, successfully conducted a Joint District Monitoring Exercise in Kambia .

The session brought together District Councils, devolved sectors, CSOs, NGOs, media, and key national partners including:
✨ UN Nutrition
✨ Ministry of Local Government
✨ Ministry of Agriculture
✨ Directorate of Food and Nutrition
✨ Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

What we achieved together:
✔️ Reviewed district activities and alignment with national priorities.
✔️ Addressed implementation challenges.
✔️ Showcased best practices and innovative approaches.
✔️ Strengthened collaboration and knowledge sharing.

This milestone engagement reinforced coordination, accountability, and collective action—driving us closer to a healthier and more food-secure Sierra Leone. 🇸🇱

22/08/2025

Joint District Monitoring Exercise – Makeni

On Monday, 18th August 2025, the SUN Secretariat and the Food Systems Coordination Unit (FSCU), Office of the Vice President, with support from UN REACH, successfully conducted a Joint District Monitoring Exercise in Makeni.

The session brought together District Councils, devolved sectors, CSOs, NGOs, media, and key national partners including:
✨ UN Nutrition
✨ Ministry of Local Government
✨ Ministry of Agriculture
✨ Directorate of Food and Nutrition
✨ Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

What we achieved together:
✔️ Reviewed district activities and alignment with national priorities.
✔️ Addressed implementation challenges.
✔️ Showcased best practices and innovative approaches.
✔️ Strengthened collaboration and knowledge sharing.

This milestone engagement reinforced coordination, accountability, and collective action—driving us closer to a healthier and more food-secure Sierra Leone. 🇸🇱

14/07/2025

Thursday, July 10, 2025
The SUN & Food Systems Coordination Unit, in partnership with Action Against Hunger and key stakeholders, hosted a powerful district-level engagement workshop for Koinadugu and Falaba.
🎯 Workshop Objectives:
✅ Strengthen multisectoral coordination for nutrition & food systems
✅ Share national updates on Sierra Leone’s nutrition commitments
✅ Promote local food production and community advocacy
✅ Empower CSOs and government actors with practical knowledge
💬 Interactive sessions, such as the Web of Nutrition activity, opened dialogue across sectors—from health, agriculture, education, and water—to address malnutrition and improve food security.
🛠️ The workshop generated clear action points and renewed district commitment to scale up nutrition and food systems transformation.
Together, we are working toward a healthier, well-nourished Sierra Leone. 💚🌍

27/06/2025

Sierra Leone Takes Stock of Food Systems Pathways Progress
On 25 June, the SUN & Food Systems Coordination Unit hosted a high-level Validation Workshop in Freetown to review Sierra Leone’s progress along the eight nationally-prioritised food systems transformation pathways.
The workshop — held in partnership with FAO and supported by the EU — brought together district and national stakeholders, including District Agricultural and Planning Officers from all 16 districts.
We were honoured to hear from UN Resident Coordinator Ms. Seraphine Wakana, EU Delegation representative Mr. Frederico Capurro, and the Honourable Minister of State Madam Manty Tarawalli, who delivered a powerful keynote. The session was chaired by Dr. Abdulai Jalloh, Chief Agriculture Officer at MAFS.
As Minister Tarawalli said: “Transformation must be multisectoral and whole-of-government — not just in principle, but in practice.”
This review — and the findings validated by participants — will guide the next phase of national food systems coordination and inform Sierra Leone’s engagement at the UN Food Systems Summit +4 in Addis Ababa.
We thank FAO for its technical leadership, MAFS for its strong partnership, and all contributors across sectors and districts

18/06/2025

Inception Meeting on the Development of the National Food Systems Coordination Strategy & Action Plan

Date: Friday, 13th June 2025
Time: 9:30 AM – 1:00 PM
Venue: Helen Keller International Conference Hall
Organized by: SUN & Food Systems Coordination Unit (Office of the Vice President)

The SUN & Food Systems Coordination Unit, with support from GIZ, successfully hosted the Inception Meeting to kick-start the development of Sierra Leone’s National Food Systems Coordination Strategy & Action Plan. The meeting brought together key stakeholders to build consensus on a shared vision for transforming and coordinating the nation’s food systems — from production to waste management.
Highlights:
• Opening remarks by Hon. Minister Manty Tarawalli (online)
• Meeting chaired by Katherine Owen, Acting Director
• Presentations from SUN & FS team, consultants, and partners
• Interactive sessions using live polling to validate findings and priorities
Interactive Session:
Participants engaged in dynamic discussions aided by Mentimeter live polls ( menti.com/alkyxrwyw4az, code: 1962 7315), fostering inclusive contributions on the priorities for the strategy.
Next Steps:
• Consolidate inputs into the draft Strategy
• Continue stakeholder engagement
• Strengthen multi-sector collaboration
The SUN & FS Coordination Unit thanks all partners for their commitment. Together, we are advancing a sustainable, inclusive, and resilient food system for Sierra Leone.

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SUN &Food Systems Coordination Unit, Office of the Vice President

20/11/2025

19/11/2025

08/10/2025

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02/09/2025

29/08/2025

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