Government partners with AFS, WFP to protect forests, empower communities, and promote global exchange
Sierra Leone’s fight against environmental degradation took center stage this week as the government announced a landmark environmental and civic engagement partnership during a Ministry of Information and Civic Education press conference.
Outreach Officer Mohamed Jaward Nyallay revealed that Information Minister Chernor Bah had signed a groundbreaking Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with AFS Intercultural Programs President and CEO Daniel Obst on August 10 in New York. The agreement, sealed during the 30th AFS Youth Assembly, will deliver cross-cultural training, leadership development, and exchange programs aimed at building global competencies, inspiring civic engagement, and nurturing social entrepreneurship in Sierra Leone.
Meanwhile, Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, Jiwoh Abdulai, unveiled the EU-funded Nature Nourishes Project, building on the Protect Sierra Leone Program launched in March. The initiative will target 90 chiefdoms surrounding wetlands and major protected areas, empowering communities to take ownership of ecosystem preservation.
Abdulai identified timber logging, illegal mining, building encroachment, stone mining, and charcoal burning as the leading drivers of deforestation, warning of severe threats to biodiversity, drinking water, and community safety. He urged residents—particularly in the Western Area—to protect catchment areas and avoid construction near Tacugama Sanctuary.
Recent data shows significant forest losses between May 2024 and April 2025:
• Western Area Peninsula National Park: 713 hectares lost
• Outamba Kilimi: 2,152 hectares lost
• Loma Mountain National Park: 840 hectares lost
• Gola Rainforest National Park: 2,152 hectares lost
• Tiwai Island Wildlife Sanctuary: No loss recorded
United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) Country Director Yvonne Forsen linked these losses to increased disaster risk, noting that August 14 marks the 10th anniversary of the devastating Freetown landslide. She warned that without urgent action, Sierra Leone faces recurring floods, landslides, water shortages, and rising temperatures.
The Nature Nourishes Project will focus on:
• Restoring forests and water catchment areas
• Providing alternative livelihoods
• Creating Chiefdom Land Use Plans
• Training local forest guards
• Promoting eco-tourism and climate-smart farming
In Moyamba District, Paramount Chief and MP Hon. Mima Kajue shared a success story—her community abandoned charcoal burning in favor of swamp rice farming and 100 hectares of cashew plantations, creating jobs and protecting the environment.
European Union official Holger Rommen reaffirmed the EU’s commitment, announcing Le250 million in funding to support communities in slowing climate change and biodiversity loss.
“This is not just about trees,” Rommen said. “It’s about protecting lives, livelihoods, and the future of Sierra Leone.”
By Joseph Turay
