The Challenge

Agriculture plays a central role in Sierra Leone’s economy, accounting for around a quarter of the national GDP and providing employment for a large share of the population. Key exports such as cocoa, palm oil and coffee generate valuable foreign exchange and support rural livelihoods, while agricultural imports—particularly rice and wheat—are essential for food security.

Like all countries, Sierra Leone must ensure that plants and plant products moving across its borders are free from pests and diseases that could harm, agriculture and ecosystems. To manage this risk, exporters are required to obtain a phytosanitary certificate from the country’s National Plant Protection Organization (NPPO), the Crop Protection Unit (CPU) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, confirming that products meet phytosanitary requirements.

In Sierra Leone, these certificates are still fully paper-based, which creates several challenges for traders and regulators. Manual processes can be slow and prone to errors, delaying the movement of goods across borders. Paper certificates can also be lost or damaged in transit, which may hold up shipments and lead to additional costs or spoilage, particularly for perishable goods.

Paper documents are also more vulnerable to alteration or fraud, making it harder for authorities in importing countries to verify their authenticity. Together, these challenges can reduce the competitiveness of Sierra Leone’s agricultural exporters and create additional costs for consumers.

What We Are Doing

The Alliance is supporting Sierra Leone to digitalise its phytosanitary certification system by introducing the IPPC ePhyto Solution.

This solution allows NPPOs to issue and exchange phytosanitary certificates electronically. It combines two components: a global ePhyto Hub, which enables secure digital exchange of certificates between countries, and a Generic ePhyto National System (GeNS) that allows traders and authorities to request, issue and manage certificates online.

The Alliance project will support the configuration and deployment of the GeNS in Sierra Leone, provide training for CPU staff and private sector users, equip CPU officials with the necessary IT tools to optimise system use and pilot exchanges of electronic certificates before scaling up nationwide use. It will also carry out awareness‑raising and sustainability activities to ensure long‑term uptake and effective use of the system.

This initiative is part of a broader Regional ePhyto Window funded by Sweden, which will support African countries in adopting digital phytosanitary certification. By helping countries implement the IPPC ePhyto Solution, the initiative aims to facilitate safer and faster trade in agricultural products while supporting the digitalisation of trade procedures across the continent.

The Impact

By replacing paper certificates with secure digital documents, the project will:

  • Reduce delays and administrative costs associated with issuing and processing phytosanitary certificates.
  • Improve the efficiency of agricultural trade, enabling faster exchange of certification data between countries.
  • Strengthen the security and integrity of phytosanitary documents, reducing the risk of errors or fraud.
  • Improve traceability and information management, helping authorities monitor plant shipments and respond more effectively to plant health risks.

By making certification faster, safer and more reliable, the project will support the competitiveness of Sierra Leone’s agricultural exporters while strengthening food security.