Food and nutrition security in Sierra Leone with a focus on fish in Tonkolili District

Abstract

Sierra Leone, located on the west coast of Africa, has a population of 6.3 million, with an annual growth rate of 2.2%. Food insecurity and malnutrition are national concerns, as almost a quarter of the population is undernourished. Poor food availability, access and utilization contribute to undernourishment. Fish is an important part of the Sierra Leonean diet, so increasing fish production--and thus its availability and consumption--may help reduce malnutrition. This report is a literature review on food and nutrition security in Sierra Leone, based on data collected by the Sierra Leone Statistics Office, government ministries and international and national organizations working in Sierra Leone. It describes the current food and nutrition situation in Sierra Leone for the purpose of planning and implementing interventions aimed at improving food and nutrition security, especially within aquatic agricultural systems, through fisheries production systems.