ABIDJAN, Côte d’Ivoire, 6th November, 2026 – Sierra Leone has secured a key leadership role in Africa’s agricultural sector following the appointment of Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Henry Musa Kpaka, as Chair of the Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice) Council of Ministers.
The appointment was announced during the Council’s 34th Ordinary Session held in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, placing Sierra Leone at the helm of the institution’s highest governing body, which represents 28 African member states.
As Chair, Dr. Kpaka will provide ministerial leadership and strategic oversight for AfricaRice, one of the continent’s leading agricultural research institutions. The organization supports research, innovation and technology development aimed at boosting rice production and strengthening food security across Africa.
His appointment comes at a critical period for the institution as AfricaRice prepares to implement its 2027-2035 Institutional Strategy while African countries intensify efforts to reduce dependence on imported rice and expand domestic production.
The development is also being viewed as a significant endorsement of Sierra Leone’s growing influence in regional agricultural policy and food systems transformation.
Under President Julius Maada Bio’s Feed Salone initiative, agriculture has been positioned as a national development priority, with a strong focus on increasing productivity, promoting mechanisation, improving access to quality seeds and strengthening agricultural infrastructure.
Government figures indicate that Sierra Leone’s rice self-sufficiency increased from 68 percent in 2023 to 73 percent in 2025, reflecting ongoing efforts to boost local production and reduce reliance on imports.
Dr. Kpaka’s new continental role is expected to create opportunities for deeper collaboration between Sierra Leone and other African countries on agricultural research, innovation and technology transfer.
As Chair of the Council of Ministers, he will lead high-level deliberations on policy and strategic priorities affecting agricultural development across member countries, while helping to strengthen links between scientific research and national food security programmes.
The appointment marks another milestone in Sierra Leone’s efforts to position itself as a key player in Africa’s agricultural transformation agenda and comes as governments across the continent seek sustainable solutions to food insecurity and rising import costs.
