Freetown, Sierra Leone: A nationwide market survey on processed-packaged and vendor-prepared foods is now underway, marking a major step toward improving nutrition and food security across Sierra Leone.
The initiative is spearheaded by the Food System Resilience Programme (FSRP), with technical assistance from the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) to the Sierra Leone Agricultural Research Institute (SLARI), in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (MAFS), the Ministry of Trade, and Njala University.
The survey forms part of a broader effort to develop the Sierra Leone Food Composition and Micronutrient Databases — a national resource designed to inform public health policy, guide nutrition-sensitive programs, and support the Government’s Feed Salone strategy.
To kick off the process, a three-day training session was held at SLARI headquarters in Freetown, targeting enumerators primarily drawn from the Institute of Food Technology, Nutrition, and Consumer Studies at Njala University. The training covered survey methodology, food categorization, and ethical data collection practices. It concluded with a hands-on exercise in local supermarkets, where participants recorded data on imported processed foods.
Over the coming weeks, trained enumerators will visit supermarkets, retail shops, and restaurants nationwide to collect detailed information on both imported and locally produced food items. The data gathered will remain confidential and will be used exclusively for research and policy development aimed at enhancing the health and well-being of Sierra Leoneans.
Dr. Martha S. E. William-Ngegba, a leading voice in the initiative, emphasized the importance of the survey: “This survey is a national priority that responds to Objective 4 of the Feed Salone Strategy. It will help us understand what foods are available, what nutrients they contain, and how we can better address malnutrition and dietary challenges in our country.”
FSRP, IITA, SLARI, and their partners are appealing to all food vendors, supermarket owners, and shopkeepers to cooperate with enumerators by providing accurate product information. Their participation is crucial to building a robust and reliable food composition database.
The survey is expected to play a pivotal role in shaping future food production strategies, promoting dietary diversity, and reinforcing food safety — all essential pillars in building a healthier and more resilient Sierra Leone.