17/02/2026
Sierra Leone’s agriculture sector is a critical lever for food security, employment, and value addition. However, it remains constrained by several factors, including limited access to reliable and affordable energy, inadequate financing for farmers and agribusinesses, low levels of mechanization and irrigation, and insufficient food processing and storage infrastructure. Productive Use of Energy (PUE) solutions—such as solar-powered irrigation, processing, and cold storage—offer viable pathways to catalyze sustainable agribusiness and rural income growth.
Recognizing these challenges, The Energy Nexus Network (TENN) is empowering Sierra Leonean farmers by identifying potential partners in need of support. At Lungi, Port Loko District, the COME AND SEE Women Cooperative, managed by a local champion farmer, Mrs. Mary Mani, was among those selected to benefit from a pilot project implemented by TENN with financial and technical support from the Global SDG7 Hubs initiated by SELCO Foundation. The cooperative consists of 30 members (20 women and 10 men), many of whom previously faced financial instability and social inclusion. Some are widows, while others migrated from Liberia in search of livelihood opportunities in Sierra Leone.
Mrs. Mary Mani, a purpose-driven leader with years of service in Sierra Leone’s health sector, boldly shifted her focus from healthcare to farming to contribute to Sierra Leone’s ambitious feed Salone initiative. Her vision is to transform agriculture into an entrepreneurial opportunity rather than an ordinary subsistence activity through increased production and value addition. Inspired by this vision, TENN partnered with the cooperative to strengthen its operations.
In collaboration with the private sector, TENN recruited the services of a local EPC, Salone Solar to deployed renewable energy solutions, including a 1HP (750W) solar surface pump, solar modules (M15Wp for both the water pump and greenhouse) with battery storage, a hybrid inverter (12V, 1KW), and UV solar cables for irrigation and lighting for the farm house and greenhouse. With these installations, the cooperative significantly increased its vegetable production. Previously, they could only grow one crop of vegetables each year; now, with drip irrigation and the greenhouse, they can grow and harvests three to four crops annually. According to Mrs. Mary Mani, the cooperative financial growth surged from less than 2% per annum to more than 10%. This significant achievement is not only a milestone for the corporative but also for TENN and its partners. In addition, it is a major boost to Sierra Leone’s agriculture sector, with higher yields of tomatoes, cabbages, cucumbers, peppers, and other vegetables.
On 10 February 2026, TENN and IRENA, in partnership with PI-CREF, GIZ-Endev, and REASL, convened an Entrepreneurship Capacity Building Workshop on Productive Use of Energy for Agri-Food Value Chains in Sierra Leone. The COME AND SEE Women Cooperative participated actively. During the workshop, Mrs. Mary Mani highlighted transportation challenges, particularly the difficulty of moving vegetables from Lungi to market locations. She emphasized the urgent need for a cold storage trucks to support farmers.
The success of the cooperative has reinforced TENN’s vision and mission, demonstrating how renewable energy access can transform agriculture and empower rural communities in Sierra Leone.
International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) -cref World Food Programme World Bank Group