Sierra Leone — October 31, 2025: In a landmark move to modernize Sierra Leone’s agricultural sector, President Dr. Julius Maada Bio officially launched Rural Farmers Radio 98.9 FM during the national World Food Day celebration held in Kambia. The station, the first of its kind in the country, is designed to empower rural communities and smallholder farmers through access to vital agricultural information, financial literacy, and market opportunities.
Jointly financed by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Government of Sierra Leone, the radio station was established under the Rural Finance and Community Improvement Programme (RFCIP) through the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (MAFS). With coverage reaching 75% of the country, Rural Farmers Radio 98.9 FM will broadcast programs on modern agronomic practices, climate-smart agriculture, entrepreneurship, and market updates.
President Bio described the station as a “vital tool” in the government’s ongoing efforts to achieve food security under the Feed Salone Initiative. “This radio is here to stay,” he declared. “I am an active farmer with passion for farming because it is good for the nation. We can feed ourselves and create jobs for young Sierra Leoneans. I will be coming here to share my own experience as a farmer.”
IFAD Country Director Madam Pascaline Barankeba highlighted the event as a celebration of three key milestones: World Food Day, the second anniversary of the Feed Salone Initiative, and the launch of the Livestock and Livelihoods Development Project (LLDP). She praised the radio station as a transformative communication platform that will bridge information gaps and connect farmers to real-time agricultural advice, markets, and weather updates.
“It represents the power of communication as a driver of transformation for rural communities across Sierra Leone,” Barankeba said.
Africell Mobile Company is playing a critical role in the station’s reach by providing access to its nationwide telephone towers and 24-hour power supply, ensuring uninterrupted broadcasting across the country.
The launch event was led by Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Dr. Henry Musa Kpaka and attended by senior government officials, IFAD representatives, RFCIP staff, Apex Bank, local authorities, and hundreds of community members. Attendees hailed the initiative as a strategic intervention to close the information gap between farmers and stakeholders in the agricultural sector.
Driving Rural Transformation
IFAD is currently financing three major agricultural projects in Sierra Leone:
- Rural Finance and Community Improvement Programme (RFCIP)
- Agriculture Value Chain Development Project (AVDP)
- Livestock and Livelihoods Development Project (LLDP)
These projects aim to strengthen rural transformation and build sustainable food systems nationwide.
General Manager of Rural Farmers Radio, George Nyambe Williams, expressed heartfelt gratitude for the support that brought the initiative to life. “Special appreciation goes to the vision carriers and others who dared to dream of a voice for rural communities,” he said. “RFCIP for championing this initiative, MAFS for embracing it, IFAD for the visionary funding, and Africell for powering the radio that now connects farmers across our nation.”