Core area “Sustainable economic development, training and employment” Developing rural infrastructure and value chains

    The aim of German activities in the action areas of vocational training and private sector and financial system development is to promote the training and employment of young people, improve incomes and develop rural value chains (vegetables, cocoa, coffee, poultry feed, forestry, ecotourism) whilst also taking the social and environmental aspects of economic development into account.

    Coconut seller at Lakka Beach ferry terminal

    Coconut seller at Lakka Beach ferry terminal

    Activities include the development of agriculture and, more recently, also the processing and marketing of products, as well as forestry and nature conservation. The founding of small and micro enterprises is also being supported, with a special focus on promoting women entrepreneurs.

    The necessary climate-resilient infrastructure (rural access roads, grain silos, wells) is being built or rehabilitated with German support. A priority area in future will be training opportunities for the population in the project regions. For example, construction companies will be given training on tendering, structural engineering, and building bridges and roads.

    At the national level, Germany is advising the Sierra Leonean government on shaping its employment policy.


    Impacts

    • Since 2019, 480 kilometres of rural roads have been built or repaired using local labour, along with 59 income-generating infrastructure facilities like wells, markets, warehouses and processing centres for fruit, vegetables and cocoa. Maintenance strategies for these facilities have been developed as well.
    • Altogether 2,900 new jobs have been created, 1,617 of them for self-employed women working in the agricultural sector.
    • New jobs have been created for 430 salaried employees, 143 of them for women.
    • Around 4,500 farmers have seen increases in their production and income in the following sectors: cocoa (+88 per cent), coffee (+27 per cent), rice (+55 per cent) and vegetables (+72 per cent).
    • Through cooperation with financial institutions, 1,500 small and micro businesses have received access to microcredit in order to expand their operations.

    Between 2020 and 2023, a total of 14,800 young people received support in the form of training, in-kind contributions and grants.

    As at: 26/03/2024