BINTUMANI FARM, KAMADUGU-YIRAIA CHIEFDOM
FALABA DISTRICT, SIERRA LEONE.
3rd August 2026.
His Excellency Rtd. Brigadier Julius Maada Bio
President of the Republic of Sierra Leone
State House, Freetown
Sierra Leone
Attention:
The Chief Minister
Minister of Agriculture and Food Security
Minister of Local Government
The Speaker of Parliament
All others concerned
Dear Sir,
URGENT CALL FOR THE ENACTMENT OF A NATIONAL LIVESTOCK DEVELOPMENT ACT.
As a concerned citizen and a practicing farmer, I am writing for the benefits of all affected farmers (both crop farmers and herders) in this country to request for the immediate introduction and passage of a National Livestock Development Act to modernize and create a legal framework for sustainable livestock development and a peaceful co-existence between crop farmers and herders in Sierra Leone.
Livestock farming is a vital part of our national economy, providing food, jobs, and income for many families, especially in rural areas.
However, for several years now, tensions exist between local crop farmers and herders in the country. And various factors have recently, contributed to the tensions taking on a violent nature and becoming one of the country’s foremost security threats.
Passing a dedicated Livestock Development Act will create a clear legal framework to fund better livestock development, support sustainable farming methods, prohibit open grazing, promote establishment of ranches, animal feed resources development, animal breeding, animal health services, and safe meat and meat product production. This law will help secure our food supply and grow the rural economy.
Your government’s efforts to transform and strengthen the livestock sector, particularly with the procurement and on-going implementation of the landmark Livelihoods and Livestock Development Project (LLDP), deserve high commendation. However, I strongly believe that such a landmark project can create more impacts if implemented within the framework of a comprehensive Livestock Development Act as proposed in this open letter.
The proposed comprehensive Livestock Development Act can address key livestock development areas as follows:
- A Livestock Development Authority – a regulatory and development body with created fund to implement mandate.
- Grazing-Land Development – laws for prohibition of open grazing and promoting establishment of ranches.
- Animal Feed Resources Development – laws promoting development of pasture/forage and feed production.
- Animal Breeding Development – laws promoting improved animal breeding and quality breed production
- Animal Health Services – laws promoting preventive protection and disease control.
- Meat and Meat Product Production – laws promoting safe meat and meat product production.
Other countries in the African subregion, like Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, even some states in Nigeria etc. have successfully done it, and why not Sierra Leone?
Therefore, Your Excellency sir, I urge your government to host public hearings with industry stakeholders and establish a drafting committee to assist with the bill in the soonest possible time.
Yours sincerely,
Ismail Banja Kandeh
A Concerned Citizen and Farmer