Food System Resilience Program : Project Implementation Update (January to June 2026)

Overview & Synopsis

This report provides a six-month implementation update on the Japan Social Development Fund (JSDF) Additional Financing under the Food System Resilience Program (FSRP) in Sierra Leone. The initiative aims to strengthen climate-resilient inland valley swamp rice production by enhancing technical capacity, promoting climate-smart agricultural practices, and facilitating knowledge exchange between Sierra Leone and Vietnam. Targeting 12,000 rice farmers and seed growers, the project focuses on improving productivity, resilience, and institutional support systems. Key achievements during the reporting period include grant effectiveness, recruitment of project staff, safeguards compliance, stakeholder engagement, training of rice technicians and extension agents, IVS site profiling, and establishment of demonstration plots. Despite these advances, implementation has been constrained by delays in finalizing FAO-supported technical assistance arrangements, resulting in slower-than-expected progress and low financial disbursement. The report outlines priority actions for the remainder of 2026, including resolving partnership bottlenecks, completing baseline assessments, scaling farmer training, expanding demonstration activities, and strengthening monitoring and policy engagement to accelerate project delivery and impact.