By Sulaiman Jalloh
In a renewed push to attract foreign investment into Sierra Leone’s agriculture sector, on Tuesday 11, June 2025 his excellency Ambassador Salamu Koroma this week held a strategic meeting with Mr. H.R. Farnia, chief executive officer of ARTA AGROCHEM, at the Sierra Leone embassy in tehran, he high-level engagement was aimed at exploring mutually beneficial opportunities that could enhance food security and drive large-scale agro-industrial transformation in Sierra Leone.
ARTA AGROCHEM is a reputable agro-industrial company with operations in both Iran and China, the firm specializes in the production and distribution of high-grade agricultural inputs such as hydrochemical fertilizers and pesticides, sourced from renowned global suppliers, since 2016, the company has expanded into the cultivation, processing, and exportation of premium Iranian agricultural products, including pistachios, saffron, dates, and frozen semi-prepared foods. With a growing international footprint, the company is now targeting Africa particularly Sierra Leone as a promising hub for agricultural development and trade.
In his remarks, Mr. Farnia emphasized ARTA AGROCHEM’s keen interest in Sierra Leone, describing the country as a strategic gateway to the West African sub-region, he outlined the company’s vision of partnering with Sierra Leonean stakeholders, including agro-dealers, distributors, and farmers’ cooperatives, to boost productivity, modernize farming practices, and strengthen food systems. He also expressed interest in hosting Sierra Leonean officials for a technical tour of their facilities in isfahan province, Iran, and proposed a virtual dialogue with Sierra Leone’s agriculture sector players to deepen collaboration.
Ambassador Salamu Koroma warmly welcomed the firm’s interest and praised its innovation and success across the agricultural value chain, he presented a strong case for investment in Sierra Leone, citing the country’s abundant arable land, reliable rainfall, peaceful environment, vibrant youth population, and growing infrastructure. He also highlighted the government’s ambitious agricultural priorities, which include scaling up domestic rice production, mechanizing farming, and developing the livestock sector.
The government of Sierra Leone, under the leadership of president Julius Maada Bio, has placed agriculture at the heart of our development strategy, Ambassador Koroma said, we are committed to transitioning from subsistence to commercial farming and will welcome any investor who shares that vision.
He encouraged ARTA AGROCHEM to conduct a feasibility mission in Sierra Leone and to submit a detailed investment proposal; we assured the delegation of the embassy’s full cooperation in providing the necessary guidance on market entry, investment laws, fiscal incentives, and regulatory frameworks.
The Ambassador further emphasized Sierra Leone’s readiness to strengthen diplomatic and commercial ties with Iran and global partners who are committed to inclusive and sustainable agricultural growth, he reiterated that agro-industrialization offers a path to economic diversification, job creation, and poverty reduction for millions of Sierra Leoneans.
The meeting concluded with a mutual commitment to pursue the partnership and facilitate the next steps, including deeper technical discussions and potential site visits in Sierra Leone.
Copy right –Printed in the Expo Times News on Monday, June 16TH, 2025 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)
