Sierra Leone’s forests and ecosystems are set for a major boost under a €9 million (about Le250 billion) community-based environmental development programme unveiled on Tuesday by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), the European Union (EU), and the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change.
The initiative will adopt a territorial approach to ecosystem management, focusing on restoring degraded forests, promoting sustainable land use, and curbing the impacts of deforestation and land degradation across the country.
Holger Rommen, Team Lead for Infrastructure and Rural Development at the EU Delegation, said the project aims to protect community ecosystems and reinforce forest preservation networks. “Deforestation and forest degradation remain widespread, and the loss of tree cover is driving economic instability, environmental disasters, and social challenges,” he noted.
WFP data, compiled with EU and government input, shows significant forest loss in recent years. Since 2020, the Western Area Peninsula National Park has lost 713 hectares, representing 4.26 percent of its cover. Outamba-Kilimi National Park recorded a loss of 2,152 hectares, or 3.48 percent, while the Loma Mountains National Park lost 840 hectares, equivalent to 1.88 percent. The Gola Rainforest National Park has been hardest hit, with 2,152 hectares lost, 16 percent of its cover, while the Tiwai Island Wildlife Sanctuary reported no recorded loss.
Minister of Environment and Climate Change Jiwoh Abdulai highlighted the importance of carbon sequestration alongside forest restoration in tackling climate change. He stressed that forests are essential for water management, soil protection, and biodiversity conservation, but face mounting threats from logging, mining, charcoal burning, housing development, and quarrying.
Although community-level implementation plans were not outlined, Abdulai reaffirmed the government’s commitment to reversing deforestation trends.
The WFP will oversee the project’s implementation in Sierra Leone, ensuring data-based planning and monitoring. “One cannot manage without data,” Rommen said. “It’s the key to achieving our objectives.”
Beyond environmental benefits, the programme is expected to create long-term social and economic opportunities for local communities, positioning Sierra Leone as a regional leader in sustainable land management.
