Sierra Leone: West Africa Competitiveness Programme

Overview

Summary

The project aims to enhance the competitiveness of the cocoa, palm oil and cassava sectors in Sierra Leone in order to boost the country's connection to regional and global value chains, create more jobs and strengthen its resilience against economic chocs. A market driven and flexible approach will be embedded in the project interventions such that other value chains can benefit from the project activities and outputs. This approach is consistent with the multi-sectoral investment programme led by the Government focusing, amongst others, on private sector development to drive socio-economic transformation in the aftermath of Ebola and falling iron prices. The Ministries in charge of Trade, Industry and Agriculture, our main partners, are working to increase the competitiveness of 1 000 SMEs to add value and find new markets for farm products, to ensure diversification of economic activities and avoid falling in the trap of an exclusively mineral based economy. Ensuring equal access of female and male entrepreneurs to the benefits of this national policy will be key for its success.

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Partners

Funder

ITC Trust Fund Window 1 - BDF (Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland)

Funder

United Nations Industrial Development Organization

Implementer

UNIDO Field Office in Sierra Leone

Implementer

Delegation of the European Union to Sierra Leone

Sustainable Development Goals

This project contributes to the following Sustainable Development Goals, as defined by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

SDG - Peace, justice and strong institutions

Context

About WACOMP Sierra Leone.

ITC’s four-year West Africa Competitiveness Programme (WACOMP) in Sierra Leone is supporting the country’s trade in cassava, palm oil and cocoa nationally, regionally and internationally. We are doing this by strengthening the competitiveness of small and medium-sized businesses, making sure they are getting the support they need from national institutions.

Agriculture has a key role in Sierra Leone’s economic development. As cocoa, cassava and palm oil are already strong exports, we believe that with a more modernized model and greater access to markets, the industry could grow, creating jobs and employing more women and youth.

The Sierra Leonean government has strengthened the country’s institutional, legal and regulatory framework to better promote its export and market diversification efforts. ITC is working the government as well as farmers and producer organizations to further ensure high quality produce, open market opportunities and provide small businesses with access to finance services.

Exports products

Cocoa

ITC is increasing transparency in the processing operations of the cocoa sector for improved quality, quantity and competition.

WACOMP Sierra Leone is also establishing sustainable tracing mechanisms, reinforcing producer associations and increasing export market diversification.

Cassava

Cassava holds great potential to contribute to enhanced food security and reduced poverty in Sierra Leone. ITC is providing technical assistance for product development, marketing and compliance with quality standards.

Palm oil

In the palm oil sector, ITC is reviving the relationship between producers and market buyers, by providing technical assistance to boost trade and export.

Testimonials

I found the WACOMP Sierra Leone training to be practical and interactive. The training objective was well defined, and topics covered throughout the training were relevant and timely for our organization. I look forward to more training and coaching sessions.

Noellen Barber

Nianda Agriculture and Trading Company

The WACOMP Sierra Leone training made me learn more about business planning around the value chain, doing a SWOT analysis, understanding legal compliance issues and above all, tracking my expenditure against my income.

Fatmatta Kallon

JMK foods

The WACOMP Sierra Leone study tour was significantly beneficial, as we learned some of the agronomic practices, such as the improved methods of pruning the palm trees, the improved methods of harvesting the fruits and the management of the palm fronds after trimming.

Momodu Koroma

Penayama Agricultura Enterprises

Thanks to the Access to Finance bootcamps organized under WACOMP Sierra Leone, we are now paying more attention at all stages of processing, starting from the farm during harvesting, and we are selecting the variety that is required for the product we need to produce.

Matthew Kanneh

WaYaDI

The Leadership of the Ministry of Trade and Industry is quite pleased and deeply appreciates ITCs support to SLIEPA under the WACOMP project through which this Strategic Planning retreat is being supported. The development of a Strategic Plan by SLIEPA is of keen interest to the Ministry of Trade and Industry as we expect that it should adequately reflect governments objectives outlined in its Medium Term National Development Plan.

Senior Permanent Secretary Augustine Sahr Sheku

Ministry of Trade and Industry

I have deliberately singled out the International Trade Centre (ITC) for their remarkable support to SLIEPA for its 14-year existence. Establishment of the SLIEPA Trade Information Centre, Capacity Building under the MOPS and more especially the WACOMP project which has sponsored the staff retreat, established the ECOWAS TPO Network of which SLIEPA is a proud member and other staff capacity building activities. On behalf of the staff and the Board Chairman I wish to extend our sincere thanks and appreciation to the ITC team.

Sheku Lexmond Koroma, CEO

SLIEPA